


Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

by DrgnmastrAlex



Series: MagiTechRanger [1]
Category: N/A - Fandom
Genre: Corruption, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Parody, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Super Sentai, Transformation, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2020-09-19 00:46:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 127,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20322292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrgnmastrAlex/pseuds/DrgnmastrAlex
Summary: My original mind control and transformation-based series based off of series like Power Rangers and Super Sentai.





	1. MTR Prologue

Prologue

Tales of old have told of mysterious forces in our world, speaking of entities and energies that were beyond our comprehension and working in ways we couldn't begin to understand. Despite this dissonance, they were still able to affect humanity as civilization began to grow. Children disappearing in the night, people acting strangely, sightings of unusual beasts or beings in the wilderness...all were commonplace around the world. Be it a heightened awareness of the surreal and the supernatural, or the tricks of unsophisticated and ignorant minds on themselves, we told stories warning of their power.

The Fae. The kami. Goblins. Vampires. Werewolves. Witches. Fairies. Nymphs. Shapeshifters. Monstrous creatures. Dragons. Angels. Devils. Even today, their effects on humanity remain. Even in an age where logic and reason are valued, humanity still does not fully understand the forces it harnesses with the power of science. It has enough control over it, enough knowledge, to utilize it in the pursuit of greater knowledge and power. But in the backs of our minds, we still wonder: “Is there more? It feels like there is more, but I can't see it...”

There are those who would capitalize on such ignorance...

202X, in an unknown location...

A large force gathers in coordination, foot soldiers sporting unusual armor that hearkens back to medieval times, yet is smooth, sleek, and shines brilliantly like something out of a sci-fi opera. Their faces are unseen, black visors built into their helmets the only break in a seamless, faceless mask. They faced a singular direction, looking towards a sight that humans would find unusual: an extravagantly-dressed, slender young man in unusual attire, with pale skin, white hair, and piercing blue eyes. His attire is all in white and light blue, regal-looking and with an authoritarian flair. With his pointed ears, he looks like a mix of a high fantasy elf with a World War I general's uniform.

Beside him stand three other figures. The first is a colossus, easily ten feet tall, clad in what can only be described by modern eyes as 'space armor'. It is silver and sleek, form-fitting, and unlike the foot soldiers you can see the figure's eyes glow with a brilliant icy blue from inside the helmet. On its back is a massive halberd, a polished silver with a wicked-looking blade at the end.

The second is far less imposing, a waif of a woman who stands at around 5'2”, with straight black hair and a lovely olive complexion. She is wearing what can easily be considered a modern military dress uniform. Behind the glasses she wears, her eyes look like that of a snake's, and some of the skin that shows on her neck and the backs of her hands look unusually scaly.

The third figure, aside from the man in the center who has command of everyone's attention, is the most unusual. A feminine beauty wearing a light blue kimono with white trim and a while obi. On the obi are snowflake patterns. Her unusual appearance does not end there, as her skin is white as snow, as is her hair, and poking out from her hair are two animal-like ears, perhaps that of a dog's or a fox's. She also sported a very fluffy, snow white tail.

“I gather that we are all here, then? Good.”, the elven man spoke. His voice was deep but inviting, and while his smile was rather smug, it was undeniable that he had a certain charm to his demeanor.

“Today is going to be a historic day, my fellows. For too long have we been forced out of the minds and fears of the humes. The advent of 'logic' and 'science', the power that it has brought them, is considerable, and it is a direct counter to our influence on their plane. More and more, routes between our realms close, those who are our kin or descendants of our kin become isolated from us and lose sight of what makes them unique, and the flow of magic and our influence on this plane lessens. Belief in us is at its lowest, and it threatens to take away the power we gained from the imaginations and emotions of a species that does not know its full potential.”

He paced a bit as he spoke, gesturing a little at certain points to emphasize particular words and ideas he wished to convey the importance of.

“Thus, we have created a consortium. Madame Faareha, hailing from the sands of Egypt as representative of their gods and spirits. The famed Silver Knight, kin of the Ice Dragons of old. Lady Kyoko of the Winter Court. And I, Prince Tethas of the Exiled Elven Clans, practitioner of Lunar Magics." He gestured to those standing by his side, then continued. 

" It is unfortunate that many of those of the Fae kingdoms, the dragons, the various groupings of gods and spirits who were once feared and worshiped, have chosen to not join us. I find their acceptance of fading from the minds of humes a sad state. But we, the Fae Invasion Forces, will show them that we need not fade into obscurity as the humes harness their power for themselves! We will reinvigorate awe, worship, and fear of us in them! When we are successful, the human world will be our playground once again!”

A crowd of cheers erupted from all the foot soldiers present as they pumped their fists into the air. “GLORY TO THE FIF! GLORY TO THE FIF!” Tethas silenced the crowd with a gesture.

“Begin preparations for crossing the dimensional boundaries! Our forward bases are prepared. Under the cover of night, we shall establish our presence in Cold Iron City, connecting and stabilizing portals and transportation for our manpower and resources. From there, our plan to force the realm of humes to bow to us will take place within a week of their time. You have your orders. Move out!”

Another salute, and the foot soldiers turned and made formation lines to pass through several magically linked portals. With them were various magical artifacts, materials, and equipment stolen from the human world that was re-purposed and outfitted to utilize magical energy. It was at that time that Faareha turned to Tethas, giving a nod.

“Forces are mobilized, morale is good. Plan is in stage 1.”

The fox-eared woman chuckled to herself in response. “Fufufufu~ Still a woman of few words, Madame Faareha? I always thought that was an endearing trait of yours. Even more endearing would be what you truly look like...~”

The snake-eyed woman gained a light tinge of a blush on her face, but narrowed her eyes.

“Should hide appearance, Lady Kyoko. Do not play hand early.”

“Yes, I'm quite aware." Kyoko mused. " I have my own means of ensuring I don't make too much of a commotion when I join you all, do not worry.”

Tethas eyed Kyoko a little, before interjecting. “I would hope so, Lady Kyoko. Your role is an important one. One of our greatest obstacles is how fast information and communication travels in the human world. It is your responsibility to control that so it is favorable to us. Not too much exposure, but enough to make the humes question the stability of their lives so they are more open to us. This includes spreading misinformation when needed.”

“And to generate emotion~”, she added. “Do not worry, I am no fool. I am adequately prepared. Just be ready for the surplus of belief and emotion that will power our forces~”

The fox-woman seemed to grow bored with the direction the conversation was heading, so she simply phased away with a shimmer. Giving an irritated grunt, Tethas then turned to Silver Knight.

“Why you trust that woman, I do not understand. I cannot get a read on her, and that concerns me.”

Silver Knight said nothing at first, then leaned in to Tethas and spoke in an echo-y manner that distorted his voice.

“Lady Kyoko and I have known each other for some years. I can assure you that her cunning and intelligence are in service to your goals. If that is not sufficient to assuage your fears, then there is nothing more that I can say which would give a guarantee.”

The elf eyed Silver Knight a little longer, then turned and began to plot.

“I trust you over her, Silver Knight. You are honor-driven, and are transparent, which is not something I would expect from a dragon. With you, I know what to expect.”

Silver Knight stood up again. “Truly? We dragons are notorious for being covetous. Just because I do not voice my greed or act on my greed does not mean it does not exist within me. You should do well to remember that. As for my transparency...you should also be cautious. Sometimes the best liars are the ones who tell you the truths you want to hear.”

Tethas eyed the knight at that, giving a slightly concerned look. “...answer me truthfully, Silver Knight. Would you betray me?”

The knight paused, looking down a little as if in thought, but after a few seconds answered. “Our goals are aligned, Prince. Therefore, I would not betray you. I swear that upon my honor.”

The pause had Tethas concerned, but Silver Knight's response alleviated them. “Then that is enough for me. Thank you for your continued service.”

Elsewhere...

Night had fallen, and a skeleton crew of three people in front of monitors looked rather bored. A number of graphs and statistical data readouts passed by their faces as they looked over all the information. They had been working these shifts for three months now, and it was work that threatened to put them to sleep at this point. Despite this, it paid well. Very well, in fact. The company that had hired them was a private contractor working with tech firms and the government, and for being recent college grads with simple Bachelor's degrees, they were easily making close to six-figure yearly salaries. If that meant sitting in front of computer terminals for twelve hours, it was totally worth it. ...except they didn't have much in the way of social lives outside of that.

One of them, a short, slightly overweight, prematurely balding red-head of a man with a rather wizard-looking beard, would pass the time talking about the exploits of some of his friends watching their favorite shows and playing video games. He'd also say things that immediately were proven false or worked out in such a way as to make him wrong, and every time it happened, he'd mutter something about “Goddamn [Crazy Talk] kicking in again”.

The two other workers were a blonde and a brown-haired brunette, both attractive and in their mid-twenties. The blonde found him pretty funny, and would ask things mainly out of curiosity, while the brunette kept to herself most of the time but brought food for everyone as her way of contributing to group morale. Neither of them felt much threatened by their male companion due to him already being engaged and him kind of being a short nerd.

The conversation between Tim the nerdy red-head and Samantha the blonde turned to what-if scenarios about reincarnation. Samantha imagined herself turning into a cat or perhaps a dolphin, but Tim had a most unusual response.

“If I had a choice of what I'd be reincarnated into, I'd be a toilet!”

“But why?”

Katherine, the brown-haired woman, perked her ears up to hear this ridiculous conversation.

“Because I'd be immortal! I'd never die! I could survive nuclear holocausts, I could survive zombie outbreaks, I could survive riots and all other kinds of bullshit! No one pays attention to toilets when they want to mess someone or something up!”

“But you could still be broken apart.”

“And I'd be easily fixed! I'm still a toilet!”

Katherine then turned around. “You do realize that you'd be effectively eating piss and shit from everyone, right? That's the purpose of a toilet.”

Tim's eye twitched, but he didn't miss a beat.

“Yeah, but I'll take that if I get to live forever!”

“You can't do anything but eat piss and shit and be flushed! Plus you'll get clogged!”

“I'LL STILL LIVE FOREVER!”

Katherine almost missed the beep that was heard on her terminal, and while she wanted to argue how ridiculous Tim sounded, she turned back. She was glad she did, as warning alerts started flashing on her screen.

“Uh...okay...guys, you'd better check out fields 26 through 78. We've got some crazy looking data going on. I have no clue what this means.”

“None of us do, the boss never told us exactly what these scan for, just some bullshit about shifts in climate and tectonic activity. I didn't realize they picked computer analysts with no experience in climatology or whatever earthquakes are under to handle this stuff.”, Tim scoffed.

The warning alerts continued to blare, and it was at that point that a voice crackled over an audio channel that appeared on Katherine's computer.

“You three, get to your seats if you're not already in them. You're about to have company in 15 minutes, and I need your eyes on what's happening while everyone else is on the way.”

It was unmistakably their boss, and he sounded a little worried. The three shared a look of concern between each other, and quickly sat back in their stations. Within the next 30 minutes, people they had never seen before started rushing in, powering on other terminals while one person rushed to the front of the room and slid open a hidden panel. Tim caught this almost immediately, and went “Oooh!” before an analyst next to him told him to shut up.

No one could pull their attention away from what happened next. The front of the room pulled away and retracted, opening up to a larger room with more personnel rushing around, along with some rather unusual-looking equipment and tech. Some eyed these hidden personnel with tablets, but they were completely transparent and showing more complex displays than what were on their own screens. On the opposite end of the room was a display made up of multiple screens, although they were split into four sections right now. Each of them showed off something different: one was some kind of fluctuating wavelength that looked like it was rapidly spiking up and down, another was surveillance cameras around the city being flicked through rapidly, and a third showed off some rather bizarre-looking equipment and protective suits.

The fourth was the President, a white male with graying black hair in his late 50s and wearing glasses, speaking to a woman in the middle of the room.

“Dr. Bohra, I'm expecting your people to handle this matter discreetly and with the utmost professionalism. Do what you can. You have the resources on hand to ensure your operations. DoD will be monitoring your activities from here, and they have a direct line to me."

He paused, rubbing his brow and letting out a beleaguered sigh. " I trust in your research and findings, but there are still some people who are skeptical of your work and the reasoning behind funding this initiative. I'd like a best case scenario, doctor. Make this the only time this occurs. Otherwise, the entire world is going to have one hell of a headache.”

The woman nodded in acknowledgement. “Understood Mr. President. I'll be enacting protocol now, so I'll have to end our conversation here. Good luck on your end.”

That section of screens turned off, and flicked to more surveillance cameras throughout the city. The woman, looking of Indian descent, turned towards the group of analysts and operators who just saw the scene play out before them.

“Congratulations. You're officially under contract to keep anything you see here to yourselves. If we find out that you've told anyone outside of this organization of what goes on here, you should expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of federal law. Also, all your wages accrued up to this point will be rescinded.”

“Fuck! So you're telling me I'm literally in NERV, and I can't brag about it?! FUCK!”, Tim yelled. Dr. Bohra tilted her head in confusion, narrowing her eyes at him, but continued.

“Yes, you can't brag about it. That's idiotic. The nature of our work is highly secretive, and I expect you to honor that or end up in federal prison for a very long time.”

Tim obviously wanted to cuss more, but he could read the room and promptly shut up.

“Thank you, Mr. Simmons. Your silence and cooperation are appreciated. As for the rest of you, welcome to what is likely going to be the most important period of conflict in humanity's history since the Cold War. And a war requires soldiers, so we're going to start recruitment now...”

To be continued in Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger, Chapter 1!


	2. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 1, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first half of chapter 1 of MagiTechRanger. Introductions to the team and the antagonists are featured, as well as how the Fae Invasion Forces go about their invasion and how Project MTR will stop them!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 1: MagiTechRanger, Assemble! Tryouts Are Underway!

“What a terrible night for a curse~”

A woman with short, curly blonde hair that had a good deal of volume to it cackled gleefully, quickly adjusting her headset as she streamed her newest string of matches in the newest Super Smash Bros. game. She had decided to use the evening's stream for getting practice on one of the two vampire hunters from a certain famous gothic horror platformer series, and so far her familiarity with the Smash series' mechanics was helping her to get a consistent win streak going with characters she had never touched before.

“Note to all who would want to play this game competitively: learn your dodges! Shields are no good, they make you easy prey for grab-happy peeps!” She showed off what using shielding did, as it deflected an incoming projectile but then led to another player running up behind her and slamming her vampire hunter into the ground in a cartoonish fashion. Then it did a wind-up attack and sent her character flying off the edge, where she just managed to recover from with some aerial recovery moves.

“Just like that! Now imma give this guy some payback.”

She summarily dodged some more attacks, hunting the offending player in question, who seemed to react a bit too quickly to her strikes. “Ooooh, folks, I think we've got a stream sniper here! Well, there's only one way to fix that....”

She re-enabled voice chat, which was essentially just a glorified emote system, and spammed a picture of a gnome. “Hoho-hehe, well hello there old chum! I'm g-not a g-nelf! I'm g-not a g-noblin! I'm a g-nome! AND YOU'VE BEEN GNOMED!!”

Her stream chat lit up with the same gnome emote, along with various 'rofl's, 'lol's, and 'INCOMING SALT' with salt shakers. It seemed to be effective, as the player she was hunting choked just slightly enough that she was able to deliver some punishing blows, dodge around a counter, and then Smash the player off screen for a kill.

“And that's how you deal with Sword Emblem mains!”

GalTremendous98 was a popular video game streamer, and tonight was no exception. She had close to ten thousand people attending tonight's stream, and all sorts of activity was going on in her stream chat, with various pledges and people sending in-site currency with real monetary value to make shout-outs to her and others watching. Her chat mods were hard at work, a couple of them close personal friends of hers who were avid gamers and who had come off of work right before her stream started. Unlike most of the most popular female streamers on the site, she didn't show off cleavage or leg, or showcase sexy cosplay. She prided herself as 'the most visited female streamer on the site who has actual skill', much to the chagrin of the streamers she called 'Thots'.

She had managed to endure a number of attempts to take her channel down because of how she spoke out, but her sheer popularity, not to mention the ad revenue she brought the site, helped her to fight off those attempts. She even used her popularity to send her audience to other streamers she found enjoyable and skilled, which earned her a VIP invite to the site's annual convention earlier in the year.

Another shout-out came through, this one using her real name. “patty you got ot try an use Bayyo! U 2 r too awesome”

Patricia caught that and stuck her tongue out. “Nice try, maybe next time I stream Smash. I appreciate the shout-out, though! I'm looking forward to Bayo 3, and I hope to bring some friends over to stream that next year! We'll have a good time with comparing style rankings. Speaking of which, WHO'S PSYCHED FROM THAT NEW TRAILER?!”

She thanked whatever fortune or divine entity was responsible for her success and being able to get her own place: a nice condo that afforded her some means of soundproofing so she could keep the noise down to an extent. Otherwise she would probably have been kicked out long ago.

The match was just about over, with her having an advantage on her remaining opponent. A knock came at her door that she didn't catch at first, and it was only after finishing the match with a win that she noticed a whisper from one of her mods saying that some of the chat caught a knock in the background.

“Oh, whoops. Hey everyone, hang tight, I think the pizza is here. We're going on a thirty minute break while I eat, then we're back in it, okay?”

She quit out of the game and transitioned to an away placeholder that she used for intermissions before getting up and heading to the door. “Man, I can't wait, I'm sta-”, she said, stopping as when she opened the door, she saw two men dressed in black.

“This where you bring out the Neuralizer? Or is Will Smith down the hall?”

One of them gave a snort of laughter, but quickly stifled it, while the other gave him a look of irritation before turning his attention to Patricia.

“Miss Jefferson, we're here to provide you a unique opportunity to-”

“Hold it. If this is a religious thing, I'm not interested. No offense, I'm just trying to make my own way in life.”

The other man in black who had laughed interjected, “No ma'am, this is a recruitment for the MTR Project. You and four others have been chosen based on individual skill, talents, and traits to serve and protect your world.”

Patricia blinked a little in surprise, at first thinking that this was a prank by one of her friends. But before she could speak up to say anything, the man in black continued. “We don't have much time, and I'm afraid that due to the short list of candidates for the team's positions, we have to insist you come with us. It's a matter of international security.”

Patricia shook her head, giving a wary look as she began to close the door.

“Whatever, tell whoever put you up to this that it was a nice try, but I-”

Suddenly, she felt a lurching feeling as something bright enveloped her vision, and she thought, “Oh man, did they actually have a Neuralizer?”

As her vision cleared, she heard other voices, distinctly female, who were saying things that she was thinking.

“What the hell happened, where am I?”

“What is this place?”

“Who are you? Did you get taken too?”

What met her sight was two women, one a very pretty woman of Latino heritage with wavy dark red hair that extended a little past her shoulders, and the other a woman of Asian background with black hair that reached her shoulders, whose posture seemed like she was a moment away from throwing someone through a wall.

“Uh...did the Men in Black show up at your front doors too?”, Patricia asked.

She got some odd looks from the two, but it was more due to her own appearance, as she was still wearing a tracksuit that she wore around the house to lounge about. Not to mention she was in her socks. She felt the cold floor, pulling her feet up one at a time reflexively and grunting.

“Geez...what is this, metal? Do they chill this purposefully?”

“Putting aside that we seem to have been accosted by the same group of people...who are you two?”, the curvy Latina asked. The third woman wasn't interested in talking and was too busy feeling the perimeter of the room they were in. It wasn't very big, maybe about the size of a living room in a one-story house, with Patricia and the second woman standing on a platform about the size of a queen-sized bed in shape. “I'm Tina Gutierrez. I'm guessing you were 'picked up' at your home? That's what happened with me. I knew I should've asked Jaime to answer the door instead...”

“Jaime?” Patricia gave a bit of a quizzical look, and Tina responded.

“Oh, I'm sorry. My fiancee. Uh...damn, he's going to freak out first, and then when he finds out I'm okay, he's going to be pissed...”

Well, Tina seemed to be getting ready to be married, so there was that. The two then turned to the third, and Tina calmly called out to her while she tried pressing button combinations.

“That's probably going to take you a day or two to brute force through if it's a standard four number sequence. If it's a five number sequence or greater, don't waste your time. You're better off waiting for whomever brought us here to open the doors.”

The woman's response was to deliver a harsh kick to the side of the wall with a fierce yell, then wince a little. “How about you shut up for a moment, okay? I just got into the thirties when you started hassling me.”

Tina sighed. “That's fine. What's your name?”

The other woman gave a scowl, then breathed heavily through her nose and answered, “Wendy Urashima. So your best idea is to wait for whomever kidnapped us to bring us here? Why? So they can kill us?”

Tina shook her head. “I don't think they're going to, otherwise they would've just shot us at the door or something. And this doesn't look like a jail cell. It looks like...”

“It looks like the transporter room in a Star Trek series or something.”, Patricia said.

Tina and Wendy gave her funny looks, but then took another look around the room and seemed to have gotten the same idea.

“So...did we just get abducted by aliens?”

“No...I don't believe that.”, Tina said dismissively. “Anybody got a watch on them? Or...their phone?”

Wendy said nothing, shaking her head, while Patricia asked, “Who still uses a watch? As for my phone...ah crap, I left it next to my desktop...damn! I must be getting so much flak for leaving my stream in idle...”

Just then, a woman's voice came over the intercom. “Good, it seems that everyone is starting to calm down and get their bearings. That was a little faster than we had anticipated. Miss Urashima, Miss, Gutierrez, Miss Jefferson, you do not need to worry about the affairs you were involved in prior to being brought here. It has been a total of...five minutes and thirty seconds since you met the recruitment team and were teleported here.”

“Wait, so we were teleported?! Holy crap, that's awesome!”, Patricia exclaimed.

Tina chided Patricia for that outburst. “No, think about it. That technology is in fiction, and we haven't even gotten colonies on Mars yet. How do you think we would have that kind of tech at this point? If we did, infrastructure as we know it would have been radically altered by now...wait, you're...what's a stream? You don't look like a fisherman, so I'm guessing you were in the middle of something related to computers.”

“Ladies, while I do find some interest in seeing how long it will take you to figure things out from an observational standpoint, I do not have the time. The city does not have that time, nor does the world. When I open the door, you will see a walkway that leads down a corridor. Please follow that, and you will be accompanied by two people who work for me who will lead you the rest of the way.”

The door promptly opened, and Wendy was quick to take the lead in getting out of the room, with Tina and Patricia in close pursuit. Despite Wendy looking to see if there were other avenues to take, the path was exactly as the voice on the intercom said, and soon they encountered two other women. One was a very pretty woman of Indian background, wearing a white lab coat with a badge pinned on the right breast of the coat. She had wavy, short black hair, and under the coat looked like the kind of attire that a businesswoman would wear. The other woman was white, with straight brown hair down to her shoulders and blue eyes, who was wearing similar attire to what the first woman the three saw wore under the white lab coat.

“Who are you two?!”, Wendy burst out, and she was quickly answered by the brown-haired woman, who raised her hands and got between Wendy and the Indian woman.

“Whoa, just a moment. We're in the same boat as you. Well...we work here, but we're getting put on the same team.”

“What does that mean? Where is this place?”, Wendy frowned.

“My deepest apologies, Miss Urashima. And to you as well, Miss Jefferson and Miss Gutierrez. I am Chetana Bohra.”, the Indian woman introduced herself. “This is Katherine Robertson, one of the project analysts who survey and compile various data for the MTR Project. I myself am one of the resident medical staff for the Project. We're here to accompany you to where we're to receive our mission statement and be formally introduced to the kind of equipment we'll be using in our endeavors.”

The other three looked confused, but Tina stepped forward. “You said this is part of a project. Is this some kind of research or observation station that the government uses? If so, I could understand bringing me, despite the circumstances. But these two? They're civilians.”

Chetana had a look of concern cross her face, but she responded as she could. “Well...technically, you are correct, Miss Gutierrez. This is a government observation and data collection center, but we are specialized. It is that specialization that has allowed us to receive federal authority to recruit civilians onto the force if they display traits and talents that we need. Which is exactly what happened.”

That response got a look of surprise from Tina, followed by a look of anger.

“No, that's not how things work! Even if you have been given authority from the federal government, service is not mandatory! This isn't a totalitarian state, and a state of emergency or war hasn't been declared that warrants the President to exercise his authority as Commander-in-Chief to call for a draft!”

The look of concern was now on both Chetana's and Katherine's faces as Tina said that, and the other three women picked up on how this was an unusual reaction.

“...am I missing something?”, Tina asked, to which Chetana responded.

“...you should come with us now. It's best that the project leader explain things.” The implied seriousness of the situation was enough to curtail Wendy's anger and Patricia's growing animosity, and they followed along.

Led by Chetana and Katherine, they passed by other hallways and an increasing presence of personnel. A few large corridors later, and they passed through a large door that slid away to reveal what could be best called a command room out of a sci-fi movie. Tina, Wendy, and Patricia were shocked and awed, taking everything in, while Katherine and Chetana led them to a point where they stopped about twenty feet away from another woman.

“Stop here, she's the commander of operations.”, Chetana said to the other three, and while the animosity and worry returned to their faces, they did as asked.

“Good work. I'll take it from here.”, the woman said, turning around to reveal that she was an older Indian woman in her mid forties. She had her hair in a bun, but her appearance still looked youthful, and while she had a sternness in her expression, she could be easily considered beautiful. In fact, Chetana shared some similarities to her...

“Good evening, ladies. While I cannot apologize enough for breaching your constitutional rights, you would have never believed us if we said we needed you three to complete preparations for forming a unique strike team. Nor would you have believed us if we told you who the enemy was.”

“It's aliens, isn't it? I mean, come on. Men in Black, teleportation, all the space-age tech...gotta be aliens.”, Patricia smirked. Tina and Wendy gave her another incredulous look, while the other two said nothing.

“...yes and no, Miss Jefferson. Yes and no. They are alien to our world, and in a sense extraterrestrial. But they are not Grays, or whatever alien species from other planets pop culture has decided to go into detail on as boogeymen. However, they are not new to humans, either, and you could say their world has existed alongside ours for millennia.”

Confused looks passed between Tina, Patricia, and Wendy, and it was obvious that they were growing wary, thinking this might be leading into crazy talk.

“I'm aware of how it sounds, but it's true. Consider the idea of alternate dimensions and what oddities and strange things we can encounter in them. Then consider the appearance of all kinds of strange creatures and bizarre phenomena that has been told throughout human history, in our folklore and our religions. With that logic, there comes the possibility that they were real, and for a time, the barriers between our realms were weak enough at points that they could be crossed by us, and by them.”

Patricia was fascinated, though still unsure. Tina simply listened and remained attentive out of respect to protocol, but Wendy was visibly displeased and shaking her head, not believing any of it.

“That's nonsense. You mean to say that such things exist? Then why have we never seen any of them? Why did such tales yield little to nothing scientifically?”

“That is because of the advent of reason and logic. Empirical thought. Critical analysis and the scientific method. The collective unconsciousness of humanity shifted away from infinite possibility and towards the idea of knowing everything. And this had an impact on how our dimension interacted with others." the woman answered. 

" In seeking knowledge and an understanding of all things, we gradually eliminated outcomes that did not favor or mesh with our systems of science, despite the fact that such a system is inherently limited to our perceptions and interactions. It's a paradox, but also has its own twisted logic. Or at least it is twisted to modern sensibilities.”

She paused, letting the group get a handle of this kind of conceptual summary, waiting several seconds before continuing.

“It is rather confusing, so I'll try to simplify it as best I can. Humanity holds immense power in how it perceives reality. Things are what they appear to us as, and they become what we think of them. This is impacted by knowledge and ignorance, but when something from another realm or dimension crosses into ours, it is affected by the 'law' that humanity's power creates in this dimension. For many millennia, due to the absence of logic and the abundance of imagination in describing and explaining phenomena, these extradimensional beings were not locked out from our world, and could operate more freely and exercise their power to a greater extent. But once logic was conceptualized and we began denying the possibilities of their power and existence in our world, they were forced to retreat as the holes between our dimensions closed and their powers weakened.”

“So it's sort of like the old saying 'I think, therefore I am'?”, Patricia asked. She received a nod in turn from the woman.

“That's very close. It's more that a person's sense of self and perception acts as its own force in defining their world. 'I see, therefore I perceive, and the world meets my perception.' It is very weak on an individual scale, though those with strong wills can in fact affect greater change and direct the perceptions of others to be more amicable to their perception; those with strong will are also more resistant and resilient in maintaining their perceptions, keeping their core while adapting to the shifts of other perceptions. On a collective scale, it changes the course of civilizations.”

“Mother, we should hurry.”, Chetana spoke, and the woman nodded.

“You're right, daughter. My apologies.”

Patricia, Wendy, and Tina then turned to Chetana briefly with surprise.

“Yes, Chetana is my daughter. I am Doctor Bohra, head of operations for the MTR Project, and it's commander. I tell you all this, and have told you about how such conceptual details impact our reality, because the other side that was closed off from humanity's embrace of reason has decided that they refuse to be forgotten. The boogeymen, the spirits, the creatures of the night and the spiritual, the tricksters, abductors, and predators from world folklore are real, and they wish to reassert themselves in our world. I am uncertain why, but they existed alongside us in our world for millennia, and I believe we have something they desire that relates to our power of perception."

Before the others could ask, Dr. Bohra elaborated further. " My research has indicated such possibility, and whether it is due to being factual, or being a self-fulfilling prophecy, the U.S. Government has tasked me with leading a force to assess the threat potential of such entities, and to create a strike force to deal with them. You are that strike force. And we have developed the means to combat them through utilizing manifested conceptual power. For the purposes of simplifying what we have achieved, we have called it 'magic'.”

“Wait, hold it.”, Tina said, shaking her head from all the mumbo-jumbo to catch that. “So you're saying, due to all this power humanity has, magic is a real thing? Why didn't we discover it earlier? There are people who believe in this sort of stuff, why hasn't it appeared then?” Dr. Bohra grinned a little.

“But it has. Some people endure hardships because they perceive their lives to be a constant struggle. Similarly, some people are lucky simply because they have a positive attitude. And some people will not die simply because they're too stubborn or indignant to do so. That last one should be something your family is familiar with, Miss Gutierrez. Your father survived shrapnel in his intestines during the Gulf War simply because he was a hardass." The wry smile left Bohra's face as she gave a more respectful nod towards Tina.

" Some people channel it better than others, even if they are not aware of it. And those who were aware of its true nature before logic came into play became powerful kings, emperors, heroes, and villains. They threw about 'destiny', 'the divine right of kings', and 'fortune' as their power. And the greatest of them could maintain more than one concept, and become mighty spellcasters whose presence could foretell change. Or perhaps cause change. Maybe they're one and the same to them?”

That threw Tina off, but...she couldn't deny her father should have died that day, and if he had, she wouldn't have been born. It was still difficult to accept, though. And Dr. Bohra could read that on the group's faces.

“However, you young women, despite having harnessed this power, cannot utilize it to its fullest. So we have crafted technology that utilizes magic to amplify and manage the use of conceptual power, or magic. Once it's a concept, it remains one unless something powerful enough overwrites it or negates it. When adapted into a familiar format, you will be better suited to adapting to its uses, protecting yourself from harm and more importantly from the possibility of the perceptions of these other-dimensional forces changing you.”

“So we have that power, but these...whatever they are also have it?”, Wendy asked.

“Yes, and they're more versed in its raw use than you are, thus the need for this equipment. It will allow you to fight on their level. A fusion of magic and technology. MagiTech.”

Patricia giggled a little, drawing a look from Dr. Bohra. “Is something funny, Miss Jefferson?”

“It's...it's just that something like that is right out of a Japanese role-playing video game.”

Dr. Bohra gave her a look that was rather difficult to read, but responded, “Well then...humanity seems to have planted the seeds to give itself the means to combat such a threat.” Patricia quieted down, not expecting that response.

“According to the recent data gathered, we are aware of activity from these invading forces. They are coming into our world. More specifically, Cold Iron. Before you ask, we don't know why they don't invade New York, or Los Angeles, or Hong Kong, or Paris, or any other major city in the world. But it's a humorous circumstance that they would invade a city that is named after one of the weaknesses of the Fae from folklore. I cannot say more on that matter, because it is speculation at this point. However...”

Dr. Bohra turned to the computer panel behind her, pressing a few keys, before retrieving something from a nearby console. She then presented five small devices, about the size of a smartphone, in different colors.

“You can choose to refuse joining right now, but I'm afraid that as soon as you opened your doors to my recruiters, you will not be able to deny this calling. You will be a part of this team. So you might as well take these.” She handed the blue device to Chetana, and the green device to Katherine. She then handed the red device to Tina, who after a moment of hesitation took it. Then she handed the black device to Wendy, who didn't take it from her.

“Keeping me here isn't going to make me want to join you. You said it yourself. You violated our rights by kidnapping us and bringing us here. Why should I help you? In fact, why are any of us in this place? This is insane.”

Dr. Bohra said nothing in response to that, and instead moved down to Patricia, handing her the yellow device, which Patricia took with a bit more eagerness than Tina did hers. Then Dr. Bohra returned to Wendy.

“I also said that you can refuse to join right now. But you will return. I'm sure of it. When you do, bring this with you.” She offered the black device to Wendy, who eyed it but turned away.

“I told you, not happening. Now get me back home and I won't call the news on you all.”

With a sigh, Dr. Bohra turned back and pocketed the device, looking to the personnel behind the five young women to escort Wendy off the premises. After she left, Dr. Bohra brought her attention to the four remaining women.

“She will fight by your side in time, but she may be abrasive when she first joins. I ask that you have patience with her. Teamwork will be vital in your success. Miss Gutierrez, due to your experience with emergency situations and taking a leadership role in the National Guard, you are the leader of the team: MagiTech Red.”

Chetana sighed a little as Tina and Patricia took that in, and Patricia spoke up again.

“Wait...this sounds like-”

“It is, Miss Jefferson. Strong concepts require either a simple premise or a model to follow. Your equipment and suits will be based off of that.”

Patricia couldn't help but grin. It was dorky, but...what kid in the 90s and early 2000s didn't want to be a Ranger?

“MTR is short for MagiTechRanger. To 'transform' into your suits, you will spin the dial on the device and call out 'Conceptualize', followed by which Ranger you are. Thus, my daughter would say...”

Chetana sighed again, giving a sheepish look to the others before performing the sequence.

“Conceptualize: MagiTech Blue!”

Energy crackled to life from the device, engulfing her in a blue energy field that quickly solidified into a blue jumpsuit with some light armoring on the forearms, shins, chest, and shoulders, colored white to contrast with the royal blue of her suit. Her helmet had a black visor that swept back past her field of vision, allowing her greater peripheral vision, and where her mouth would be was a silver plate that had an outward indentation down the middle.

“Wow, that's really cool!”, Patricia called out, while Tina looked equal parts confused and amused. Katherine had to hide her smirk by looking off to the side. With the demonstration complete, Chetana quickly disengaged the transformation, returning to normal.

“These will allow you some greater protection, and the level of protection depends on your level of belief in the power the suits grant you." Dr. Bohra explained. " It's a strength and weakness that we cannot bypass, unfortunately. So you'll have to have a strong sense of self to get the most out of it. But if you are able to form the concept of what you need to do in the moment, those capabilities and abilities will come to you. The means to fight, to perform superhuman feats, to be immune to bullets, even to heal others.”

“The suits themselves all share the same armor patterning. Forearms, shins and lower legs, midsection, and shoulders. Those are the places that take the brunt of force when attacking or defending. The helmets are their own protection, so they didn't need any additional armoring.”, Katherine added.

“The suits are uniform in these protections and design, and come with adaptive scanners that process data and relay it to the command center. These scanners can also provide assistance in aiming your blasters, and when we have enough data on any enemy, weakpoints and traits to exploit. The only thing that differentiates the suits is your colors. ...and I suppose any weapons you manage to create that remain. Chetana has already formed her own unique weapon that fits her, and I'm sure you all will do the same.”

“This has been a great deal to take in, so I will let you all return to your homes. Rest assured, those you were in contact with prior to coming here will not be left worrying about you. We've already contacted them and let them know that an emergency occurred and you had to leave abruptly. We also ask that you keep all knowledge of the MTR Project and its dealings secret. We are operating under intense scrutiny by the Department of Defense, and ensuring that a national emergency does not occur is among our highest priorities.”, Dr. Bohra stated.

“Good night ladies. Tomorrow we'll begin your training. I do hope Miss Urashima will be joining us.”

Despite the extraordinary events of the evening, the five young women would find themselves getting some decent sleep, although they would arrive at their homes very late in the evening. The next morning came, and with it the first attempt by those that the Rangers were warned about to gain a new foothold in the city...

Over at Cold Iron University, a few professors had just arrived on campus. Among them was a relatively attractive woman wearing glasses, her short blonde hair styled straight from going to the hair salon a week ago. She looked to be in her late twenties, perhaps early thirties at the most, and was dressed in a beige pantsuit with an eggshell-white blouse, the jacket of which was currently off due to it being uncomfortable to wear in her car.

“Samantha Higgins?” A voice that she didn't know suddenly called out to her from several feet away, and she turned with a start to see a short woman of Middle Eastern background.

“Geez, you scared me half to death." Samantha fumed. " Who are you?”

The short woman approached Samantha, and the computer science instructor noticed an odd gleam in her green eyes. Were they shining? And what was up with her pupils? In fact, something seemed off with her skin...

“Who I am is unimportant, Mrs. Higgins. What is important is what you're going to do for me.”

Samantha narrowed her eyes, stepping back a bit and getting a weird feeling from the woman before her, but before she could say another word, the woman's green eyes flashed, and a wave of energy washed over her, causing her to become dazed and susceptible to the woman's words. She didn't realize that the woman who was normally one for few words was now speaking with a sense of authority and purpose. Her voice was commanding, her grammar now proper to achieve the best effect of what she needed to do next. 

“You always wanted to join your college cheer team, didn't you? But you didn't have the agility needed to do so, nor did you have the looks. But now you will. Now you do.”

The strange woman spoke, and Samantha found herself unable to deny her words. They were her world, her reality. And as she took them in, Faareha's magic and perceptions molded her to suit her needs.

“You are not Mrs. Samantha Higgins. You are not thirty-one years old. You are not a teacher at Cold Iron University, nor are you someone who would be rated a 'seven' in attractiveness and sex appeal. You are twenty-one, and a buxom, beautiful blonde who has the admiration of her cheer squad as the head cheerleader of Cold Iron University. And your name is...”

A flash led to a bright light enveloping Samantha, and Faareha smirked as her work was done. She turned while the transformation took hold, opening a portal with a wave of her hand before stepping through it. Her work was done. Now it was up to the Fae-kin that she had just created to start making waves...

End of part 1


	3. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 1, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of chapter 1. The Rangers mobilize, and you get to see how the fun kink is going to be employed in this series. :P

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 1 part 2

The sensors at the MTR Project's command center flared as they sensed a spike in magical energy, and the analysts who were in rotation immediately began recording the data and relaying pertinent information to the main servers. One of them jolted from his sleep, knocking over an energy drink that was still partially filled to the floor.

“Shit! What the...did I fall asleep?”, Tim said, looking around and seeing everyone at work. “Ah shit, shit! What's going on?!”

He did a quick check to see energy readings were steadily rising, and unusual atmospheric and geographical anomalies were steadily rising in the location of Cold Iron University's football stadium.

“...huh. Okay, so... you guys getting this? Um, hang on...okay, syncing up with you all.” He groggily rubbed his eyes, moaning, “Ohhh man, please don't tell the boss I fell asleep, I swear I drank like five cans of Red Bull through the night to cover my shift...”

“Hey, don't worry man.”, one of them said. “I got you, let's just take care of this.”

Dr. Bohra arrived in the command room, briefly looking up at the raised platform to see the analysts collaborating their findings and making comparisons. “What's the status?”, she called out.

“Doctor, we're getting readings from the University, specifically around the football stadium and the collegiate sports halls." Tim replied. " No sign of local news on the way, but there have been calls intercepted from the campus to the police and news outlets speaking of odd behavior from people.”

“What sort of behavior?”

Another analyst, the one who spoke to Tim, stood up briefly to speak to Dr. Bohra.

“Judging by some of the calls, they're in some sort of fugue state or trance. They're walking slowly towards the field inside the stadium, and there's also been reports of some of the computer screens and televisions inside classrooms and offices turning on. No one who has called in has viewed what's on these screens, but they do say that it sounds like some kind of cheerleader, and those who have viewed suddenly develop these symptoms.”

“They're making their move, and it seems they're starting small, but I wouldn't doubt that it's for a purpose." Bohra finished her elaboration to give her orders. " Mobilize the strike force, we're going to need them. And see if we can't get Miss Urashima on call again. It's better if all five Rangers are assembled.”

At her command, the signal to scramble was activated as the devices handed to the five young women began beeping. Each one would receive the call, though Wendy was surprised to find that the black device was somehow in her possession.

“...how in the...?”

She grit her teeth, and chucked it at the wall with a brutal over-handed throw, but it simply bounced off and clattered back to her feet. With a yell, she brought her heel down on the device, stomping it while yelling, “I'm not joining your stupid team!”

After a few stomps, she backed away and found the device unharmed. Gritting her teeth, she picked it back up again and stared intensely at it, hoping to find something to break off of it. The dial on it was firmly secured, and nothing else indicated that there were small parts to break off of it. The device was for all purposes immune to the amount of force she had used on it, and she sat down with a frustrated huff.

“Miss Urashima, I do hope your frustrations have been properly vented now.”, the voice of Dr. Bohra said, and a holographic emitter transmitted a three dimensional image of Dr. Bohra that was about the height of a television remote. “You are needed. People are in danger.”

Wendy knew taking a swipe at the image wouldn't do any good. “Why is this thing with me? I left it with you.”

Dr. Bohra cocked her head a little to the side and replied, “Simple. I said that as soon as you opened the door to the project's recruiters, you forged a new destiny for yourself. That device is keyed to you now, and cannot be used by anyone other than you.”

“I don't want this!”

“That may be, but you are needed. Your skills in hand-to-hand combat are of great benefit to our team. And I know you're the type of woman who strives to perfect herself in pursuit of-”

“Just. Stop.”, Wendy hissed. “Don't act like you know me. You may have everything there is to know about me on file, but you don't know me.”

“...you're right. But I think that's not why circumstance led to you opening that door. And it's not why I picked you. You have a fierce streak of independence and self-determination. You are steel-willed. Those traits make you an important anchor for the team. If things come down to the wire and the team is compromised, I know that you'll be at the bottom of the list of those who would succumb to the invasion forces. You're an ace, both offensively and in ensuring success in any operation.”

Dr. Bohra's words did have an effect, as Wendy was visibly less hostile and antagonistic, instead becoming more perplexed.

“...so that explains why I was picked. Well...I'll admit, I'm a bit flattered, but I'm still not inclined to join. I get that this is important to you, but why should I be the one to sacrifice so much? Why not someone else who would be more accepting?”

That gave the doctor pause, but only for a few moments. “It's because, among all of the people who I picked on the strike force, you're the one who would have the most to gain from winning battles decisively and quickly. It's a part of you to throw yourself with everything you have and more to ensure a win. That stubbornness, that sense of self, and the desire you'll have to see things through so our world is no longer threatened, and as quickly as possible, are good counterweights to the others." Bohra then began to list off the others' traits to emphasize Wendy's important on the team. 

"Compare this to Tina's sense of duty, my daughter's inclinations to have my words carry more weight than they should as operations commander, Katherine's dependence on working for the project as a means of maintaining a livelihood, and Miss Jefferson possibly letting being a Ranger be a a means of defining her. You need to be on the team because you want things to be over. You're a reminder to the rest of the team that there is a world to return to.”

Wendy could only hold a hand to her head. “...well damn... guess I'm a shoe-in for this.”, she groaned. “So...would I be second-in-command of the team when in the field? Just in case Tina is unable to lead?” Dr. Bohra nodded.

The young woman gave another frustrated sigh, then finally shifted her posture to one that was less closed off to the doctor. “...what do I need to do? I'm guessing that this is like that. So what's the morphing sequence and how does it go?”

Dr. Bohra smiled slightly. “Please don't use that term to describe the suiting process again, Miss Urashima. The initiation of the transformation is simple: hold the device before you, spin the dial, and call out 'Conceptualize: MagiTech Black.' The rest is simple. And I'd recommend suiting up now, so that we can communicate with you much easier and relay necessary data to meet with the others. They're already mobilized and heading to the location where we expect a fight. The suit will likely enhance your speed if you will yourself to get there faster.”

“Really? Well then....” She flipped the device into the air, the projected image of Dr. Bohra disappearing as she did so. With some flair, she caught it before holding it in front of her, calling out, “Conceptualize: MagiTech Black!”

Tina, Patricia, Chetana, and Katherine were all suited up as they ran with enhanced speed towards their destination. Over the helmets' intercom, they received word from Dr. Bohra that Wendy was coming as well, and she wouldn't be too far behind.

“Good. I was a little worried since it seemed we were down by one, but hearing that puts me a little more at ease now that we're at full strength.”, Tina replied.

“Just don't get yourself in trouble, Miss Leader, otherwise I'm going to pick up the slack.”, Wendy called out. Tina simply smirked; Wendy was one of those kinds of people.

“Got it. Just get a read on our positions and group up when you reach the stadium. We're there in ten seconds. The sooner you get here, the better.”

Shortly after, they arrived, entering the stadium with some showmanship as they flipped in to cover the rest of the distance.

“So, what have we got?”, Katherine asked, only to see her question immediately answered by dozens of students and college faculty walking stiffly towards the center of the stadium with their arms out in front of them.

“This is a rather odd sight...”, Chetana commented, while Patricia gave a quick snort of amusement.

“What are they supposed to be, zombies? Well, they're not attacking us, so maybe it's some kind of state they're in rather than being undead.”

“Reports said that it was some kind of trance. Maybe whatever is doing this has hypnotized them?”, Tina inquired, with Chetana shaking her head.

“That doesn't make sense. Hypnotism is just suggestion that puts a subject in a dreamlike state, but it's quite easy to break. Hypnotherapy requires that the person receiving therapy be completely still for it to even work, and all it can do is guide a person to focus on something with greater intensity while in a state. This is...something else.”

“This is the power of the invasion forces. It's not simply hypnosis, but outright suppression and redefinition of their wills.”, Dr. Bohra commented. “It's ludicrous and campy, but it's quite literally mind control.”

That gave the team some pause and got them apprehensive. Actual mind control? That didn't seem possible. Yet here they were, looking at the results through technology that until last night could be considered pure fantasy.

“Good, you realize the seriousness of the situation.”, Dr. Bohra continued. “But don't let your apprehension affect your drive to resolve this problem. Whatever is causing this will capitalize on that. Bolster yourselves and know that you will see this through.”

Tina gave a nod. “Understood, doctor. Alright team, time to handle this. We'll move up to the nearest stadium seats to get a better view.”

“No need!”, a cheerful voice called out, and a female figure in a skimpy cheerleading uniform somersaulted and flipped towards then, landing with flair and a bounce of her breasts. Her blonde hair was long and straight, falling down like a river and framed with a headband sporting the football team's colors. This was true of the rest of her uniform, which bared a great deal of cleavage and a skirt that was just short enough to barely conceal cotton white panties unless she moved. ..or a breeze blew. She wore cute sneakers that led up to white calve-high socks that framed her legs well. Two pom-poms were in her hands, but most unusual about her was that her skin seemed to twinkle slightly with gold and silver sparkles, and the tops of her ears were pointed like an elf out of a fantasy series.

“Data confirmation established.”, Dr. Bohra said to the Rangers. “That's the source of our readings. She appears rather human though, and some of the wavelength readings don't seem to completely match with extradimensional entity energies. Be cautious, just try to speak with her for now. If she attacks, maintain defensive positions but do not fully engage her.”

“Got it!”, Patricia replied, then chuckled a bit. “Geez lady, you look just like those cosplay thots I call out all the time on my streams!”

The strange young woman simply shimmied her hips from side to side, arms outstretched to her sides and shaking the pom-poms, but she made no attempt to rush them. “So what are you guys, like, kickers from different teams? Kickers are sooooo lame. But quarterbacks and wide receivers, those are super hot~”

“Oh god, she's talking like a total ditz. You are a complete thot!”, Patricia replied, but the strange woman just giggled.

“What's a thot? Well, it's got 'hot' in it, and I'm definitely that! Hehe~”

Tina then stepped in. “Okay, that conversation needs to end. Are you with the invasion forces?”

“You got it! I'm a Fae-kin, lovingly made by the Fae Invasion Forces to, like, brainwash people and harness their magic and conceptual power! Call me Cheer Champion! C-H-E-E-R! C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N! Gooooooo me!”

“Fae-kin?”, Dr. Bohra said on her end, and turned to the analysts and staff. “Someone search for possible definitions or comparative entities among all world folklore and mythology! I need to know what we're dealing with immediately!”

Tim then immediately spoke up after punching in some search terms.

“Uh, boss! Maybe that's something like dragon kin, out of D&D? Related to the Fae, maybe made by the Fae?” She blinked, and her expression darkened, but it wasn't directed at Tim.

Another analyst spoke up. “We've got matches on stories of the Fae turning people into Fae, usually through trickery and magic.”

Dr. Bohra immediately spoke to Chetana over the intercom. “Daughter! How likely is it that, if these are Fae, that person was once human?”

Chetana blinked in surprise, but the realization of the implications the questions posed made some of the color drain from her cheeks. “It's...it matches with some of the underlying wavelengths from scans on this entity. ...I think she was once human!”

“Boooooo! You guys are too fast to figure stuff out! But you're right, I was a boring human, doing boring stuff like teaching. But now I'm sexy! I'm fun! I'm immortal! And I've got a growing legion of adoring fans who stumble about and make me laugh, hehe~! All while I use their power to turn the stadium into a conversion space!”

“What does she mean by that?!”, Dr. Bohra fired off to the team. “Get more information out of her! What is a conversion space?!”

But before any of the team could say anything, Cheer Champion started moving around a little bit, shaking her pom-poms and daintily stepping forward.

“No more talking! Now it's time for fun! Let's see if you girls are up to snuff with your moves! Gimme an A! A T! Another T! And what you'll be saying when I come at you, which is ACK! What's that spell? ATTACK!!”

“Whoa!” Katherine backpedaled a little as Cheer Champion rushed forward, flipping towards her with a panty-flash and a heel-drop that created a small crater.

“No, not whoa! Ack! Aawww, you ruined the follow-through for the cheer! Definitely not cheerleader material, so you're getting cut!”

She followed up with a wide kick that was clearly not going to hit. ..until it sent out a razor-cut through the wind to hit Katherine in the chest and sent her flying into the wall!

“Gah!”

“Katherine! You two, try to keep her busy, I'm going to check on her!”, Chetana called out, and quickly ran over to Katherine's side.

Patricia nodded, throwing a thumbs up in acknowledgement. “Got it!”

“Alright. Patricia, follow my lead and go at her from the other side!” Tina called out.

“Oh, I know this, I've used Doppelganger Style before!”

“What?”

“Don't worry about it, I know what you've got in mind!”

Yellow and Red were on Cheer Champion, immediately attacking and throwing strikes to occupy her.

“Good work, keep her engaged and we'll try to gather data! If she was human, perhaps we can undo the conversion done to her!”, Dr. Bohra called out, snapping her fingers and pointing at the analysts to speed up their progress on isolating the wavelengths.

“Katherine, did that attack cut through the suit?”, Chetana asked, pulling Katherine up out of the wall.

“Uhh...n-no. I think the suit protected me. I just got hit with some knockback. That attack...she kicked so fast and hard that the compressed air turned into some kind of slicing attack. That kind of control over air shouldn't be possible. Compressing air to that extent would create sonic booms and be purely concussive...”

“I think this work will regularly deal with the impossible, Katherine.”, Chetana remarked. “Let's just help the others, alright? I'm picking up rising energy signatures from this 'Fae-kin'.”

Tina and Patricia kept up the pressure, but even with the suits enhancing their combat capabilities, reaction time, and speed, it was difficult to truly press an advantage.

“Oooh, not bad at all!" Cheer Champion grinned. " Good hustle! H-U-S-T-L-E, hustle! Gotta impress me if you want to join the team!”

Patricia scoffed at that. “I'm already part of a team, you ditz! Besides, why would I want to flash so much skin? I never got why cheerleading is even a thing, other than guys just drooling over you!”

Cheer Champion took it in stride, shaking her pom-poms in taunting ways and letting them sparkle and shimmer a bit. It was a little distracting for Tina and Patricia, especially with the readings they were getting.

“Pa- I mean, Yellow, focus on the fight!”

“Oh, we're doing names off our colors? Okay Red!”

“There you go, you two!”, Cheer Champion cheered. “But I don't take girls on who are big doofy nerds! Stick with AV club, girlie!” Suddenly, Cheer Champion sneaked a kick in on Patricia, catching her in the side before the kick seemed to slide into her chest and knock her back a ways, knocking the air out of her momentarily.

“Wh...the hell was that?! Shadow Kick?!”

“You, however, got what it takes Red! Your friend scrubbed out, but you're on the team!” Tina wasn't sure what the Fae-kin meant by that, but soon the pom-poms hit her rapidly, coating her in fine sparkles that were starting to destabilize her suit.

“Miss Gutierrez, focus! If you lose your concentration now, you'll be vulnerable!”, Dr. Bohra called out.

But Dr. Bohra was just a voice over the intercom, and Cheer Champion was right in front of Tina. More hits came, more flashes of leg and panties, more cleavage, and these stood out in Tina's mind, along with what Cheer Champion said. Then the Fae-kin struck: she struck the sides of Tina's helmet, and it...split in half? And...Tina was glowing...slowly the Ranger suit she wore shrunk away, turning into identical coloring to Cheer Champion's colors, as her dark red hair turned into blue and red stripes to match the University team's colors. Tina was already quite curvy, but as her suit turned into a matching cheerleading uniform, her assets really seemed to pop out. Pom-poms formed in her hands, and a sense of giddiness and pleasure filled her. Soon she was smiling as brightly as Cheer Champion, and the tips of her ears grew pointed.

“Gotta cheer. Gotta be sexy. Gotta make the humes adore me. Gotta serve the Fae.”

“Aaaaand welcome to the team, Cheer-Tina!”

“O-B-E-Y! I obey completely!”, Cheer-Tina cheered, moving in concert with Cheer Champion.

“...oh man...that's bad...”, Patricia muttered, and Dr. Bohra looked a little dumbfounded. Did...one of her strike force just get...

Dr. Bohra's voice chimed in over the comm. “...I suppose that's what they mean by conversion. Which means that they're likely trying to do the same to pockets of space in our world... Rangers! We've got the data necessary to isolate and possibly undo the conversion on Miss Gutierrez, but you need to take that data and focus it into your strikes! Believe that your strikes will undo her conversion and it'll happen!”

“A little easier said than done, doctor...”, Katherine mumbled. “Besides, we lost our leader, and Cheer Champion now has a bosom buddy. We need to get a bigger advantage if-”

“Got all that, Greenie! Let's knock some sense into them! MagiTech Black, ready to striiiiiiiiike!!”

Suddenly, a flying kick was delivered to Cheer-Tina, knocking her back, and Wendy spun perpendicular to Cheer Champion to deliver another kick to knock her back too, before landing on her feet.

“Quick, back her up!”, Katherine called out, and the other three moved to assist her.

“Okay, four on two, much better odds.”, Patricia said. “How're we doing this?”

“I'll pair up with Miss...With MagiTech Black.”, Chetana said. “You and Green should pair up together, Yellow. Also, from here on, no calling each other by our real names. We need to maintain anonymity, not just to avoid the public finding out about us, but also because if they are in fact Fae, they'll be able to utilize greater control over us if they have our full names.”

“Wait, they can do that?”, Wendy turned around, a little irritated.

“It's in folklore regarding the Fae. Never give your full name to one, they'll use that to control you.”

“She's right.”, Dr. Bohra said over comms. “We have data collected from world folklore that supports this. Predominantly Germanic and European, but there are parallels in other cultures' folklore and mythology. If there's a pattern, we should best take not of it and act accordingly.”

“...understood. Then I'll pair up with you, Blue. Follow me!”, Wendy called out, rushing Cheer-Tina with Chetana right behind her.

Chetana focused on mirroring Wendy's moves, and while she wasn't able to meet the level of proficiency that Wendy operated at, she was able to assist in quickly setting up the converted Ranger into a position where Wendy could get her hemmed in. Patricia and Katherine meanwhile were putting forth an effort to push Cheer Champion back, and the blonde was not having a good time of it.

“Hey, no! I want to be back with my bestie! G-E-T O-F-F, get off!” She pushed the two back, moving towards Wendy and Chetana, but Wendy already had Cheer-Tina in a hold, and proceeded to spin her around until she was back-to-back with her before throwing her over her shoulder and back-first into the ground with a mighty “WAKE THE HELL UP, RED!!”

The slam, combined with Wendy's will pushing against Cheer-Tina, actually made the converted MagiTech Red ripple between her Fae-kin form and her Ranger form. But it wasn't enough to snap her completely out of it, as the Fae-kin form began to reassert itself. “Damn, thought that'd work.”

“It almost did.”, Dr. Bohra commented. “That was a commendable effort, but I believe her will is being suppressed by the cheerleader Fae-kin, perhaps because of some kind of hierarchical effect. Defeat her, and the instability should cause her conversion to become undone.”

“You heard her! Blue, focus on that chick and get her back to normal! I'll deal with Red!”

Chetana nodded, feeling the pressure and intercepted Cheer Champion, using her mimicry of Wendy's moves to hold her off just a little bit longer until Katherine and Patricia were able to rush in and assist. The slam that Cheer-Tina received was finally shaken off, and she flipped up to recover and put distance between her and Wendy before engaging in a flurry of parried punches and kicks.

“Rah-rah, fight-fight, gonna beat you and make this right! Goooooo Fae~!”

“SHUT UP, YOU DITZ!”

“Yeah, my girl loves to O-B-E-Y! What's that spell?!”, Cheer Champion called out, and Cheer-Tina responded, “OOOOOOBEYYY~!!”

Ecstasy filled her as she gave in even more to Cheer Champion's power, and she started to shimmer a bit more with a dazzle of gold and silver.

“That's not good...Miss Gutierrez's wavelengths have shifted. She...received a power boost, and the other Fae-kin has deepened her control over her. If you don't win this fight, Miss Gutierrez will wind up a full Fae-kin, and then you'll have to beat them both, not just one.”, Dr. Bohra said over the comms.

“Well, what am I supposed to-ugh! Do! Now she's gone super-slut! I'm just managing to keep her on her toes with everything I've got now!”, Wendy said.

“I picked up fluctuations when the other Fae-kin gave her that boost. I don't think she can use it on herself, but if Red fully turns, they might be able to boost each other.”, Katherine added.

“Wait, like buffs? Geez, I wasn't expecting RPG mechanics in this fight!”, Patricia complained. “You know what? Hang on, Dr. Bohra, you said we could create our own weapons right?”

“Yes, but that requires an immense amount of focus to accomplish-”

“Then HAMMER DOWN!!”, Patricia yelled with a mighty roar, clasping her hands together and imitating one of her favorite moves from an online game. She saw herself as the mighty armored tank, slamming his warhammer down into the ground to knock all enemies (and only enemies!) prone. And...a shockwave of yellow energy caused the ground to buckle and reverberate with such force that it knocked the agile cheerleaders off their feet and onto their backs!

“Ah yeah, BRRRINNG ME ANUZZAH!! Warhammer, conceptualize!”

The energy that had manifested in Patricia surged to her hands, and formed into exactly what she envisioned: a long, reinforced handle requiring two hands, with a great weighted hammer with a spiked back on the other end of the weighted part.

“Well...this is more Dovahkin-style, but...in Godd Howard We Trust. HAAAAAAAAH!!!” She rushed the downed Cheer Champion, aiming to deliver a mighty downward swing to her head.

“Ring-a-ding-ding, baby! Let's knock some sense back into you!!” Cheer Champion saw the rush of energy in the hammer's head too late, and was slammed into the ground by her head. This was followed by a massive blast of energy that engulfed the Fae-kin.

“Oh my god, Yellow! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”, Katherine screamed, running over to see that Patricia was fine...and there wasn't a pulped head, but instead a woman with glasses laying there passed out and dressed like a college professor. “...wait, what?”

“What, you thought I...oh, no! I wouldn't do that! They were so tough that I thought they could easily take the hit, so I just, uh...got a little carried away. But she's back to normal now, right?!”

Meanwhile, as Wendy struggled with Cheer-Tina, the enthralled woman slowed down and staggered a little bit.

“What, you run out of juice?!”, Wendy taunted, but then she saw the glimmering and sparkling die down, before the appearance of the woman before her turned to dust, leaving a confused MagiTech Red in her wake.

“..huh? Wait, Wendy, when did you get here? And...where's the Fae-kin?”

“She's back to normal!”, Patricia called out, giving a victory sign.

Dr. Bohra looked absolutely dumbfounded. The team was being pushed back again, yet the member that she honestly expected the least out of in regards to combat utilization of conceptualization...managed to do it instantly when the chips were down. And instinctively used her power to purge the Fae-kin concept and restore the woman's humanity.

“...did...did everyone get that data down? What she did to materialize her weapon, and the energy signatures involved in purging the foreign concept?”

“Uh...y-yeah. We got that, Dr. Bohra.”, Tim stammered a little. Then after a pause, he yelled, “YEAH, THEY FREAKING DID IT!!”, and that prompted all the analysts to start cheering alongside him.

Dr. Bohra shook her head, completely bewildered by the developments, but she couldn't lie that they got invaluable data that would help them in the long run. For a team lacking in any training, they showed a good level of coordination, teamwork, and ingenuity. She was just concerned about how this might affect Tina.

“I...suppose this is a cause for celebration. The first mission ended in success, no casualties, and no media exposure. Even the people who were brainwashed are now back to normal. Alright, Rangers. Return to base. The less people that see you there, the better.”

Elsewhere...

“Unbelievable...”, Prince Tethas said, shaking his head as he watched the events with a scrying ball. “I'll admit, this was merely a trial run, but...I was not expecting resistance like this.”

He wasn't angry as much as he was astonished. For all his preparations, he wasn't expecting simple humes, ignorant of the ways of utilizing their power, to be able to actually fight back with magic and create a win for themselves. He chuckled a bit.

“This ought to be...interesting.”

He turned to Madame Faareha, giving her a slightly disappointed look. “I was hoping for greater success, but I will allow you this failure. None of us anticipated this response from the humes. We'll have to lay out a new plan, however. We're still unaware of their full combat capabilities, nor their defenses. But they are vulnerable to us, judging by one of their team being converted into a Fae-kin. This holds promise.”

“....apologies, Prince.”, Faareha whispered, looking a little angry that her effort was neutralized. “Will deal with them. Personal touch.”

“Ah. An elegant solution~ I do enjoy a fine dancer, and that Red one would make a fetching one. Perhaps the rest of them are as lovely as she is? I can only hope." Tethas gave a light chuckle as he mused. " I will let you figure out who would be a suitable candidate. We are still uncertain of their base of operations, and I believe we don't have enough on their names to scry for them. Whomever they are, they clearly have support. We should use our resources to test them while we seek out their base. Perhaps then we can neutralize them.”

Heavy footsteps were heard in the slowly forming throne room, as the area was gradually being converted into a Fae space that would bleed out into the real world. Silver Knight entered the area, wings folded back and tail stiff as it entered.

“Ah, I am pleased to see that you have joined us on the other side, Silver Knight. What news have you to bring?”

The knight raised its head, giving a quick salute before addressing the prince. “Eighty percent of our troops and resources are now stationed all around Cold Iron. We have begun the process of blending our realm into the human's. It will be slow, likely months, if we do not convert more area with the influence the Fae-kin can provide. I have heard of the resistance that Madame Faareha has flushed out, and I am ready to mobilize and fight these MagiTech Rangers at your command.”

“I do not think that will be necessary just yet, Silver Knight. We need to test them some more, and we also need to see who among the humes would make the greatest of Fae-kin. In addition, I plan to cut the net out from under them. I just need to find whomever is supporting them. The sooner the better.” Prince Tethas eyed Silver Knight, smirking at its eagerness to finish them off quickly.

“We do not know if they are in fact stronger than what we have seen. I would say this is a fluke of a win for them, yet...I will not deny that they might have earned it. It could very well be a feint on their part.”

“Very well. I will trust in your wisdom.”, Silver Knight replied. Tethas nodded, then added, “I am curious as to where Kyoko is at this time. I know you are the closest to her among us all, so can I assume you know of her activities?”

The knight gave a nod. “She is occupied at the moment, preparing to act on gaining a foothold in the human's communications.”

That night...

It was another late evening of work for Beverly Holmes, the head of Public Relations for a rising star in the industries of television network and internet entertainment and news, RBS. Recently gaining their own local affiliate in Cold Iron, as well as expanding their free and premium content for their streaming and on-demand services, Beverly had been very busy as of late.

She herself was a massive success story, having worked her way through CBS after a restructuring from a local affiliate to managing national broadcasting. But it was her mind that managed to make a doomed-from-the-start streaming service like CBS All Access into a direct competitor with the likes of Hulu, much to the consternation of executives. They promptly fired her after capitalizing on her success, but RBS was quick to pick her up a year ago, and since then has blown by CBS and Hulu, helping the company get ready to gear up against the likes of Netflix, ABC, and NBC.

None of that mattered right now, though. Right now, she was worn out and ready to enjoy a week off from work. She just needed to splash some water in her face to keep her up long enough so she could drive home without swerving into other lanes. She entered the bathroom, pausing for a moment as the motion-activated lights didn't immediately kick in.

”...well, that's odd.”

The lights quickly flickered on after she spoke, drawing a chuckle. She stepped over to a sink, running her hand under the faucet to make it run and to get a bit of water to splash into her eyes. Maybe it was a placebo, maybe it actually helped a little to wake up someone through some primal instinct, she didn't care. She blinked a few times at her reflection, and on the third and fourth blinks, another figure appeared behind her in the mirror. She caught the briefest glance of white hair and pale skin, piercing blue eyes, and...some kind of animal ears, before turning around in a fright. But no one was there.

“What...what the hell was that?”, she said aloud, nearly jumping onto the counter top. After looking around for a minute from her position, she calmed down a little bit, and turned back to the mirror, looking incredulously into it. A few more blinks....no, nothing. Maybe she caught something off of one of the shows being played on the network from a glance, and her subconscious was just playing with her.

She shook her head, letting out a soft chuckle as she looked at herself in the mirror, and her reflection said, “It's me~” Her eyes had the briefest moment to open wide when hands reached out and grabbed her by both sides of her head. She didn't even get a moment to scream before the reflection's eyes glowed a bright blue and bore into her mind.

“Open yourself to me. Let me in. You are strong. You are powerful. But we know you are capable of so much more. I can give you everything you need. In six months, I can give you this company to lead. But you must LET ME IN.”

Fear flared, but she couldn't scream. She tried to resist, but a part of her wanted what was promised. And that part was fed for what seemed like an eternity, until she gave in. She blinked, and it was her again. Just her. She shook her head.

“It's only me.”, Beverly said, chuckling a little bit as she walked out of the bathroom.

In her reflection, the back of a woman with white hair in a snow-flake themed kimono and obi, with a pair of fox ears and tail, mimicked her motions and exited the bathroom with her.

End of Chapter 1


	4. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 of the series! One of the generals of the FIF makes a play to put the Rangers in their place! Will here plan succeed, or do the Rangers have surprises of their own? Find out here!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 2: The Attendant of Few Words Bears Her Fangs! Egyptian Beauty!

It had been a day and a half since the Rangers' first encounter with a Fae-kin. Dr. Bohra had debriefed the team after they returned to the command center, going over the effects a Fae-kin's presence had on an area and civilians. Most importantly, she brought up their findings on a Fae-kin's ability to affect others and turn them into partial Fae-kin, as well as discussing a potential classification for such an entity. After some additional questioning and scans on the team for any potential discrepancies from using MagiTech, the team was ordered to remain on standby until the next mission. Everyone except for Tina was allowed to leave the command center at that point, as she was put on quarantine to check for any residual influence that might remain with her.

Throughout that period, she felt like she was under heavy interrogation, even if she understood Dr. Bohra's concern. Chetana was on hand to check Tina's vitals and confer with her mother on potential side-effects, and the teacher who had been turned into that cheerleader Fae-kin had also been contained for follow-up examination. When the two of them were finally authorized for release, Tina felt the weight from being mentally and physically tired.

“I must apologize for the intensive treatment you've received, Tina.”, Chetana said as she handed some of Tina's belongings to her. “In many respects, we're dealing with this threat blindly, and we have to take every precaution necessary. This includes potential risks with health from both the Fae's influence and our own equipment. Both yours and Mrs. Higgins were unique cases due to what we're now referring to as Conceptual Conversion. Especially you.”

Tina gave a light sigh, looking weary and a little burdened. “I understand how the Project would need to adhere to protocol, and I don't blame you for wanting to be as thorough as possible. I'm just not sure if the extensiveness of those procedures were entirely necessary, given what I and that college professor went through. It's draining and emotionally taxing when government agents and contracted medical professionals are being too in-depth for my liking. Not to mention...I...”

Chetana blinked and looked down at the floor for a moment in a show of guilt and remorse, before interjecting, “I would imagine it's rather jarring to have a sudden cognitive shift from how you normally are, and then shift back to normal. Really, I'm shocked that this hasn't caused any lasting damage, but perhaps that's the nature of these powers. If strong enough, they allow such flexibility to where there are no repercussions.”

“It's not just that. I was supposed to lead, but I got caught off guard and...something that was outside of my control gave way to me fighting the team I'm supposed to lead. And worst of all...I can remember enjoying it. It was almost an erotic thrill at times, and...god, I hope this doesn't mess me up. I'm just glad the team could pull through when Wendy got there...”

Tina trailed off, but Chetana could sense that there was more than just the issue of being brainwashed and blissed out to serve the enemy.

“Tina, you can't let this shake your confidence as a leader. Leaders make mistakes, but you yourself admitted that it was something outside of your control. I'm uncertain of how guilty you may feel about fighting the team, or how culpable you may think you are. But I can tell you that your remorse over the situation, while completely normal, is also unfounded. You led everyone well, and they rallied around you.”

Chetana put a hand on Tina's upper arm and gave it a couple of pats to try and comfort her as she spoke. “You displayed confidence and kept us engaged in a manner that led to our victory. If you weren't there to help establish a foundation for how we were to engage, we would have been worse off.”

Those words managed to get a smile from the leader of the strike team, though Tina felt like she had to force it a bit.

“Thank you. And you're right. I'm just shaken by the experience. I think I just need some time to sort out my feelings on that. I just haven't really had that moment to do so while I've been cooped up in here, and I don't know if Dr. Bohra or that FIF group is going to give me enough time to do so.”

Chetana gave a nod of understanding. “I'll speak to my mother about it. If it means ensuring that there's nothing that would compromise your focus or sense of self in potential fights to come, I'm positive that she would give you the time and resources necessary to get back to normal. For now, go back to your fiancee. I'm sure he misses you.”

“Thank you, Chetana.”, Tina smiled, this time feeling more natural in giving it.

Transportation was waiting for Tina as she left the compound: a private sedan driven by one of the security personnel. As she was driven home, she made a quick call to Jaime, and before the second ring could go through, she heard a slightly panicked voice call out over the phone.

“Babe, you okay?! Your work told me that there was a bad chemical spill and that you got exposed to it! You didn't get poisoned or anything, did you?!”

“N-no, no! Jaime, it's okay!” She had a thought about how ridiculous the government would have to be in its explanations and cover stories if more incidents like this occurred, but right now she was having to play damage control and come up with a plausible reason for being away.

“I wasn't poisoned, don't worry. I was taken to an on-site medical team and got leap-frogged from there to a secure hospital with a quarantine wing. It was scary for the first day, but after they told me that there was no apparent indication of poisoning the worry went away. Though they did keep me around in case they missed anything.”

“Oh, thank god...”, Jaime breathed, and Tina could hear the relief in his voice as he began to calm down. “You didn't have to deal with this before with the Guard, so why now?”

“Well, there was that one time during a riot that I had someone's...uh...waste thrown on me. I had to get screened and checked for hepatitis, honey.”, she laughed a little, and a lightly nervous laugh followed on the other end. The panic was mostly deflated now, which put a smile on Tina's face. “I'll be home in another twenty minutes, okay? Order some pizza or something, I think we both deserve it.”

“You got it. You want the usual?”

“Yeah, Chicago-Style Stuffed Crust, no onions, pepperoni and sausage only. Make sure they go light on the sauce, though, the last time I ate that they didn't and I got some heartburn.”

After another minute, the call ended and she let out a sigh as she sagged into the seat. This seemed like one of those superhero stories where the hero had to hide that he was a superhero and keep his normal and heroing lives separate for the sake of his loved ones. She remembered those comics vividly, and how it seemed like an exaggerated take on something that could be realistic if such a scenario actually happened. Now she knew for a fact that this was the case.

“How the hell am I going to hide this from him?” And how was she going to cope with the notion that she was, for a brief moment, some brainwashed non-human cheerleader who was completely devoted to the idea of turning others into something like her? Worse still...this might not be the last time it happens...

That evening, at the Fae Invasion Forces base...

Prince Tethas sat at his throne, observing the activity of his troops through his scrying orb. A few scouting parties had been sent at his command to survey the city of Cold Iron as a means of finding prospective areas for conversion, and thus far a few areas looked promising due to the high density of people that frequented it.

“A great deal of magic can be garnered there, and turned into the means to make things more hospitable for our kind. Faareha, how go your preparations?”

The Egyptian woman was nearby, speaking in few words to some troops that she had arranged to accompany her. She dismissed them as Tethas called to her, turning to him while the fae troops marched off to await further orders from her.

“Promising. Narrowed down targets, will make one a Fae-kin. Fae-kin will have support, convert area. Deal with interlopers.”

“I am pleased to hear that.”, Tethas smiled. “I look forward to your efforts paying off, Madame. Pray you do not disappoint me.”

Faareha bowed in deference. “As you wish. Plan carried out tomorrow.” She took her leave, giving a salute before she left. Tethas then returned to his observations, but a hearty, flirtatious chuckle would be heard as Kyoko appeared.

“There you are.”, Tethas said with some derision in his tone. “I take it that your infiltration has been successful?”

“Oh yes~”, Kyoko mused. “I have found a suitable body to possess that will serve our needs well. I am already using my new position to work our troops into one of the major telecommunications networks that operate out of Cold Iron. My glamour abilities have provided them a means to blend in as normal maintenance workers. Within the week, we'll be able to start using RBS as a means of subtly nudging the humans in the city to be more mentally vulnerable to us. Fufufufu~” She held a hand to her mouth as she gave her mirthful, lady-like laugh.

Tethas was not particularly amused, though he couldn't deny that the fae was effective in subterfuge. “Very well then. I expect a foothold in this major network of theirs within the time frame you have given. In the meantime, do what you can to manipulate the humans running that company to take actions that benefit our work. As long as you do not draw undue attention, I leave the methods of how to your discretion.”

Kyoko gave a bow, this time somewhat deferential, but mostly in thanks.

“You are too gracious, Prince. I will honor your command as a testament to the good faith held between your kingdom and the Winter Court. May pure, untouched snow ever grace both our kingdoms~” She turned, tail swaying as she made her way out of the makeshift throne room.

Cold Iron, the next day...

The Cold Iron Museum of History did not have the same pedigree as other metropolitan museums, nor did it have the same draw. Many times in its own history, the museum had suffered from setbacks in its budget that threatened to close its doors permanently. Layoffs occurred every five to six years, followed by rehires every year or two after those layoffs took place. Exhibits that had been featured in the past had been shut down, with some occasionally returning due to popular demand. Yet the museum itself was rather impressive: an expansive complex, three stories tall and about two thirds the size of the city's convention center, which matched the size of convention centers from other major metropolitan cities. Despite the misfortune it regularly courted, Cold Iron's Museum of History was no slouch. Fortunately, neither were the people who managed and ran it.

As historied as Cold Iron's Museum of History was with its setbacks, it was also well-known as a place where those who were truly passionate about history came to bring their admiration and passion of the subject to share with the rest of the city, and sometimes with the world. Carol Black was no different. As the curator of the museum for the past ten years, Carol was now in her late forties and still appeared to show a level of grace despite some of the early wrinkles she showed. A little short, a little overweight, her black hair cut short and pulled behind her ears, initial impressions of Carol tended to write her off as either a pencil pusher or some middle-management government bureaucrat. Those who wrote her off as such were surprised to find a highly intelligent and studious woman who had an almost unhealthy fascination with world history. Not to mention a very intense glare from blue eyes behind her glasses.

Carol was particularly fond of Egyptian history, both modern and from the vast dynasties of ancient times. As a young girl, she was fascinated by the gold, obsidian, sapphire, and jeweled relics belonging to the pharaohs of old. The ancient writing and imposing figures of Ra, Horus, Anubis, and other old gods, both in pictorial and sculpted relief, inspired a sense of awe and wonder in her that never died. Despite knowing about the ins and outs of the truth behind these would-be god-kings, she still held a bit of a romantic notion about how their courts and temples looked like, or the daily lives of old Egyptian pharaohs and commoners. On a more personal level, when she was a young woman, she especially fancied the images of herself as a pharaoh in the late periods of those old dynasties, perhaps akin to Cleopatra VII of the Ptolemys.

Of course, those were the fanciful musings and daydreams of a younger woman. Now she was simply comfortable in providing a compelling exhibit that captured and excited the imaginations of those who came. This had become considerably more difficult in the past 15 years since the advent of modern entertainment and social media, where kids barely in high school could access information from a few touches of their smartphones to get the kind of information that she had taken years in college to accrue. The little smart-asses liked to flaunt information that they simply dredged up with no effort or sacrifice of their own to gain. It was at those times that she wished she could stifle information and be a gatekeeper to such important knowledge, so that they would be as in awe as she was at their age when she divulged such privileged treasure.

“Such a criminal lack of appreciation for the time invested in gaining that knowledge. Babes standing on the shoulders of explorers and intellectual titans need to know their place...”, she muttered.

The thoughts of how technological advancement made her job easier and harder at the same time weighed on her, as did the constant budget issues. Thankfully, this new exhibit on some of the old pharaohs and the mythology of the Egyptian gods was promising to be a significant draw. A great deal of media attention had focused on the upcoming exhibit, and some very generous monetary and material donations made it possible for this to be one of the more memorable exhibits that the museum had held. It was shaping up to be a success.

...but Carol needed it to be a resounding success.

It was these thoughts that occupied her mind so much that she didn't notice the appearance of a short, Egyptian woman in business-formal attire standing at the front of her desk. The sudden appearance startled Carol, but she quickly recovered and composed herself.

“I'm terribly sorry, you must be one of the representatives from Cairo that I was expecting. Good day to you, miss...?” Carol extended her hand in greeting to the Egyptian woman, noting that she seemed to have some kind of skin condition. Perhaps a severe case of eczema, though it was in a rather unusual pattern, much like a snake's scales.

“Madame Faareha.”, the woman responded, taking the pro-offered hand and grasping it firmly. In fact, it was an iron grip, and this Faareha was not letting go.

“Y-you can stop now.”, Carol stammered a little, trying to loosen her grip. But the Egyptian woman seemed to almost glide up to her, and stare intensely into her eyes. Carol would notice that the woman's pupils were like slits, almost like-

“Look deep.” The woman's eyes pulsed and glowed, and Carol found herself unable to look away. Despite having thoughts of trying to avert her gaze, she felt her eyes locked onto the other pair, and the more she stared, the easier it was to just gaze into them...

“You admired the pharaohs of old. Admired the beauty and power they held, the authority that came with their gold, the authority of their gods. Their words were unquestioned, their power unchallenged. You always appreciated this, and secretly desired to live such a life of your own. Yet the valleys of ages would deny you this wish.” Carol was shocked, but also captivated. This woman knew the deepest parts of her heart, her utmost desires, and greatest regrets. Who was she?

“But those immutable barriers will now crumble for you. Your wildest fantasies will come true. You will know the power of the rule of the old Egyptian pharaohs as you take your place beside them. You will have untold power. You will have undeniable authority. You will be able to usher in a new era of the Pharaohs' dynasties. Cleopatra the Seventh will not have been the final pharaoh, because now you will be an eternally beautiful and eternally powerful god-queen.”

The pulsing grew stronger, and a shudder of foreboding ecstasy at what this woman promised had Carol positively enthralled. Her words were true. Her words would change her world, and for the better. Everything she dreamed of was so close to being fulfilled...

Faareha continued conditioning and imposing her will onto the woman before her. “You are not Mrs. Carol Black. You are not forty-eight years old. You are not the curator of the Cold Iron Museum of History. You are an embodiment of the authority of Horus, a god-queen of Egypt reborn into this world. You are eternally youthful, a beautiful woman in the prime of her youth and health, olive-skinned, dark-haired, adorned in the garb of your station, and exotic. You are desired, envied, adored, admired, worshiped, and feared, and those who do not fall in line with your rule will find that you will make them do so. You are the pharaoh of the Cold Iron Kingdom, a territory of ancient Egypt. And your name is...”

Scant moments later, the command center's analytics team picked up the tell-tale signs of swelling magic and conceptual energy, similar to what they had cataloged from the Cheer Champion incident. Dr. Bohra appeared, striding into the command room and looking at the findings sent to her.

“Brazen, aren't they? You have my authorization for the team to mobilize. Send notification to them at once.”

At her order, each of the five team members' devices chirped and gave a warning sound, alerting them to an incoming communication from Dr. Bohra. Once Tina, Wendy, and Patricia had found safe places to answer the call, a projection emanating from their devices would greet them with the visage of Dr. Bohra.

“Greetings, ladies. I trust you're prepared for another mission?”

Wendy gave an irritated huff, but didn't protest like she did during the last mission. “At this point, there's no chance that telling you I won't be coming back will be enough to get you out of my life. I'm in.”

Tina and Patricia echoed their sentiments of wanting to protect people and ensuring that the FIF didn't get their way, which got a nod of acknowledgment from Dr. Bohra.

“Very well.”, the doctor said. “Katherine and Chetana are already on the way to where we picked up these latest readings. Your target is at the Cold Iron Museum of History. Unlike last time, we do not have any additional information as to the nature of this surge of magic and change in conceptual space. All we know is that the energy of this signature is far stronger than before. Exercise the utmost caution when you enter the museum.”

“Understood, ma'am.”, Tina replied. “We'll rendezvous with Blue and Green, then.”

“Remember, team.”, Dr. Bohra added. “Do not use your real names. We are still uncertain as to whether Fae-kin are capable of exercising their magic to permanently alter you if they have your names, but we do not want to take the risk. And if you encounter the ones who are turning people into Fae-kin, such cautionary measures must be adhered to strictly. If we are dealing with full fae, it is highly probably that they have such power.”

“Understood!”, Patricia called out with a grin. “Alright ladies, time to morph!”

Wendy gave another groan, but as the transmitted hologram cut off, each of them readied their devices and spun the dial. “Conceptualize! MagiTechRanger!”

“MagiTech Yellow!”

“MagiTech Black!”

“MagiTech Red!”

Suited up, they ran with enhanced speed and agility to quickly join up with Katherine and Chetana, who were already in transit.

“You know...it'd be easier if we could teleport.”, Yellow pondered out loud. “Just vvwoop! And we're there. None of this running stuff that would cost us some stamina and time.”

“Yeah.”, Wendy added. “Why aren't we using that right now? I thought we could do whatever we put our wills into doing in these suits?”

Chetana blanched a little in her helmet, but she was quick to answer before her mother could.

“We're still working out the full extent of MagiTech. While it's possible that we could develop a kind of full-use teleportation system with the suits, we still need to do further research into it. We were lucky to even accomplish the teleportation that brought you three to base in the first place, and that was after we secured the necessary data to make it feasible. Not to mention it required so much energy that it burned itself out after you were teleported." 

Chetana shook her head, then continued, " There are all kinds of dangers inherent with the theory behind teleportation, not to mention the energy requirements for carrying out a system that would make us that mobile.”

“In other words...”, Tina interjected, “You haven't the faintest idea how to make it work, nor how to go about making it a safe process.”

“Uh...” Chetana went silent, and that was confirmation enough for the rest of the team.

It would take them another fifteen minutes for all of them to arrive in front of the museum, and the sensors in their suits would be logging frequencies and energy readings that were far higher than before.

“Confirmation of elevated magical energy. The wavelengths indicate that...” Dr. Bohra paused, and felt her chest tighten a bit out of a brief bit of fear.

“The space inside the museum has undergone conceptual conversion, if wavelength patterns from the previous Fae-kin and Ms. Gutierrez's conversion are any indication. I'm elevating the danger level of this mission. If the space inside has undergone conversion, it's entirely possible that entering it may make you more vulnerable to the Fae-kin's influence. Bring her out of the museum if at all possible. And if you encounter any hostiles, do not immediately engage unless forced: they may be civilians who have fallen under the influence of the Fae-kin. Otherwise, utilize your attacks and weapons to neutralize the foreign concept that has been imbued into the Fae-kin as quickly as possible. I leave strike team operations to MagiTech Red from here on, unless I give a direct order to withdraw. Understood?”

“Copy that, Command.”, Tina replied. She still felt a great deal of apprehension from before, but she steeled herself for what they were about to face. Plus, Wendy was there to pick up the slack if she faltered... no, she had to stop thinking that way. She was the team's leader. “Alright. We're going in through the front.”

“Ready your blasters. They've been issued to us after the initial findings of our last mission.”, Katherine added. “They're not harmful to normal people; the most they'll do is disorient them, maybe make them pass out. But on Fae-kin and those they turn, which we have decided to categorize as Fae-touched, they should interfere with the foreign conceptual conversion that has overwritten their normal state. Depending on the strength of the Fae-kin or the foreign concept, this may take multiple shots from all of us.”

“Crud.”, Patricia pouted. “I wasn't really very good at first person shooters. Would it be okay if I just used my hammer?”

“That would actually be preferable, tactically-speaking.”, Katherine responded. “You and Blue have melee combat weaponry, so if you two were to engage and the rest of us hung back...”

“Then the blasters will be more effective.”, Tina concluded. “Simple tactics. A close-range engagement would put pressure on the target, making it easier for a mid to long range attack to hit. We should avoid friendly fire, though.”

Katherine nodded. “Yes. While the suits will provide a great deal of protection from our own shots, it's possible that the impact of the energy shots might momentarily stun those of us who get hit.”

“Make your shots count then, ladies.”, Tina ordered as the group went in through the front doors.

What greeted them as they went inside was not something they would have expected from a museum of history. The architecture inside was atypical of how the museum was normally designed, and much of the interior and settings were decidedly ancient and foreign. Odd stone and gold-gilded ornamental statues, vases, and other artifacts that were clearly inspired by ancient Egypt lined the walls and dotted the inside of the space within. It felt like they stepped back into the past, and were bearing witness to an Egyptian temple out of ancient Egypt.

“Um...anyone else seeing what I'm seeing?”, Patricia asked. “Because I'm sort of having a hard time believing that I stepped into some Egyptian temple.”

“It's not just you.”, Wendy replied, looking around and taking in her surroundings. “Is this what the Fae-kin are trying to do when they're made?”

“We have to consider it a good possibility.”, Chetana said. “We assumed Cheer Champion had not reached the level of power needed to do a conceptual conversion of the area she was in. Whether her goal was to replicate the area into this exact space, or something more thematically appropriate to her, is unknown. Command will go over the readings that appear in scans and real-time analysis from our suits. That being said, if the Fae-kin was able to do a conceptual conversion of this space, she's going to be more powerful than Cheer Champion was.”

The team didn't like the sound of that, and Tina felt her nerves get stressed by the idea that this new Fae-kin was stronger than the one who had pushed them into a corner. She took a breath to steel her nerves, blaster at the ready. Footsteps would quickly alert them to the presence of figures turning around the corner, and they would spot lightly armored individuals in colors of white and pale blue wielding swords and lances.

“Those guys don't look like they fit the theme here.”, Tina commented. “And wavelength and energy scans don't indicate that they're human.”

Dr. Bohra's voice rang out to each of the Rangers. “Those aren't Fae-kin or Fae-touched. They're actual fae. There's a good chance that these are the foot-soldiers of the Fae Invasion Forces. Your weapons shouldn't be lethal to them, but they should be effective at banishing them back to their realm. Don't hold back, and be quick about dealing with them.”

Wendy smirked behind her helmet as she received that order. “Well, you heard the lady. Open fire!”

She aimed the blaster at the rapidly approaching fae troops and started firing, hitting some of them in the shoulder or chest and knocking them over. Those that were hit with enough blaster shots glowed and seemed to phase away.

“What the?! Those...watch their fire, take cover!”, one of the soldiers called out to the others, and they immediately dove for cover behind parts of the temple's structure or nearby objects. Patricia would quickly join in and fire from the hip, and the two Rangers combined took out about a third of the group.

“Yeee-haaawww! Come on you big chickens! Come at me with your crummy swords, I love a shooting gallery!” Patricia was immediately enthusiastic, and quickly started hunting down the other troops with Wendy.

“Hold on you two! Don't do this alone!”, Tina called, and motioned for Katherine and Chetana to follow her in rooting out the rest of the fae troopers. Most of them were systematically taken out due to the advantage that the Rangers' blasters offered them, but one did try to rush Chetana in a surprise attack. That trooper was summarily dealt with as she brought out her personal weapon, an estoc that she deftly slashed twice along the trooper's midsection, before giving a final penetrating thrust that made it phase away.

“So that's your own weapon, huh?”, Patricia grinned as she summoned her warhammer. “Well, guess I'll bring mine out. Might as well start following what our leader planned out.” 

Wendy gave a slightly irritated huff, but she went along with it since it seemed like a sound plan, while Tina shook her head at how lackadaisical Patricia and Wendy were being.

“Alright, group up everyone. We're moving further in.”, Tina ordered. “Don't get cocky because we managed to exploit an advantage on enemies with no ranged capabilities. They could rush us or try to attack from multiple directions, and with enough numbers on their side, that would lead to them being able to engage us and give us a rough time.”

Katherine nodded in assent, knowing that was a sound tactical play, and she kept her weapon at the ready while positioning herself to cover the team's right flank. Wendy covered the left, while Chetana and Patricia took the front of the group.

The team would move further into the temple, occasionally encountering more fae troopers and quickly dispatching them with their new formation. The combination of Tina's leadership, Wendy's instinct, and Katherine's tactics made the sweep of the temple go much quicker than any of them had anticipated. Tina was finally feeling a little more confident in her abilities to lead the team in the field.

They soon reached two grand doors, with carved reliefs depicting grand figures, falcons, and the imposing figure of a woman. The team took pause, and Katherine took that moment to contact Dr. Bohra.

“Doctor, how quickly can we get these images deciphered? I'm assuming they're hieroglyphs. We might be right outside where the Fae-kin is, so any aid on what these may mean would be helpful.”

“That may take some time on our end. You're better served with having my daughter look them over and giving her assessment for the time being.”, Dr. Bohra responded. Chetana took that prompt to give the mural a once-over, using her knowledge of world folklore to look into what exactly it could tell them.

“......well, the falcons could signify messengers of Horus, one of the principal gods of old Egypt. I believe by the other hieroglyphs that this mural is a proclamation of authority. If such is the case, then this could be the way to where the Fae-kin is.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let's get in there.”, Wendy said.

“Wait.”, Katherine added. “It's entirely possible that the proclamation of authority is a literal power, given what we know of the Fae-kin and their powers. Opening the door could be a trap or trigger for the effect, or perhaps it's an inherent ability that the Fae-kin wields?”

Tina paused, then leveled her blaster at the door. “If it's a trapped door, then our blasters may be able to neutralize it.”

“That's...” Katherine paused, then joined Tina. “Not a bad idea. Yellow, Black, Blue, step back.”

At her prompting, Patricia, Chetana, and Wendy did just that, and Tina and Katherine opened fire into the stone door. Slowly, the mural faded away, leaving in its wake an empty space that led into an ornate corridor.

“Okay...that was weird....kind of cool, though.”, Patricia commented.

“It's entirely possible that that door never existed, but the conceptual conversion of the museum led to its creation.”, Dr. Bohra commented. “In any case, we have confirmed that your weapons are capable of undoing such conversions on areas affected, not just people. This insight may help us later down the line. But that is a discussion for another time. Proceed further in and neutralize the Fae-kin.”

The team ventured further in, and as they exited the corridor, they saw a lavish obsidian and gold throne, with women dressed in very skimpy attire languishing around the throne. They were clad in gold bikini tops and bottoms laced with white silk, giving an ethereal appearance. Gold rings, anklets, and torques upon their necks, with lapis lazuli and other precious gems studding their jewelry. All of them had dark hair and bronzed skin lightly flecked with silver and gold, though their bodies and faces differed slightly. All had their ears pointed at the top.

Upon the throne sat another beautiful woman, similar in skin tone and hair color to the others, but her appearance was far more extravagant. While the others were merely adorned with gold and silk draped on them to show their bodies off, this woman was dressed in a white silk gown with a gold, sapphire-studded necklace. Crushed lapis lazuli formed an exotic eye shadow that blended with glittering gold, and her lips were also adorned with golden lipstick. Her shoulders were bare, but draped along her shoulders were more jewels and armlets. Atop her head was a small headdress bearing a falcon motif, with its front forming into a beak and sporting obsidian eyes. Her skin glittered and sparkled with flecks of silver and gold, and she too had pointed ears.

“You who have defiled the sacred temple of the Pharaoh of Cold Iron shall now face judgment.”, she proclaimed. “All that exists within my temple is mine, and subject to my authority as an incarnation of Horus. So say the Fae-raoh.”

Patricia failed to stop herself from going into a fit of giggles and snorting laughter. “Th-the...FAE-raoh?! Hahahahahahahaha~!! Oh my god...stop, please...that name is too good!”

Wendy let slip a slight snort of humor before turning her head to the side and away from Patricia. Unfortunately, this did not improve Fae-raoh's temperament.

“SILENCE!”, she bellowed, and the temple shook, making the Rangers stumble a little. “Such blasphemy will not go unpunished! Bring me the yellow one! She shall be the first to taste divine retribution!” At her decree, the various other women slinked up from their prone positions and slowly advanced onto the team.

“Oooh, scary! A bunch of scantily-clad thots are gonna get me~!”, Patricia mocked, but Katherine slapped her upside the head.

“Are you stupid? Don't get her angry, we don't know what she's capable of.”

“Ow...alright, alright. But we should deal with these tho-...I mean...harem dancers? Is that what they are? Because they're moving really gracefully.”, Patricia said.

Indeed, the women moved with marked grace, and as they grew closer, some stepped lithely, twirling around, before they pulled out curved swords.

Patricia gave an unbelieving glare at the women, and simply said, “My big mouth.”

“Don't stand there!”, Tina called out. “Engage! If we can stun them, we can get at the Fae-kin and undo the conversion!”

She readied her blaster and opened fire alongside Wendy and Katherine, while Patricia and Chetana moved forward to give them enough room to take their shots. Unlike the time with the fae foot-soldiers, these Fae-touched were more agile and adept, dodging some shots while deflecting others with their blades. Only those who were engaged with Patricia and Chetana in melee combat managed to take some hits, and it took a few well-placed shots in their chests or back to knock them out. However, they weren't turning back to normal.

“You'll have to deal with the Fae-kin if you want to undo the conversion on the Fae-touched, Rangers.”, Dr. Bohra called out. “Press through and get to that Fae-kin quickly!”

“Understood, Doctor.”, Katherine replied. As they advanced, more of the harem dancers appeared to take the place of those who had fallen, though it was a small amount. “Everyone! I think she has a set number of Fae-touched under her command. If we can quickly deal with them, she won't have any support!”

Fae-raoh's gaze centered on Katherine as the Ranger called out to her team, and she gave a little smirk. With a snap of her fingers, the space around Katherine suddenly shifted, disorienting the Ranger as she suddenly found herself before Fae-raoh.

“Wh-what? What just...?”, she stammered in confusion, too slow to realize that Fae-raoh had used her command and authority of her temple to teleport Katherine before her.

“I told you, child. All that exists within my temple is subject to my authority as an incarnation of Horus. You are no different!”

Her hand glittered with an aura of gold and silver, sparkling brighter than before as she turned Katherine to face her and laid her hand on her helmet. A sudden rush of power filled the Ranger, as the words Fae-raoh spoke rang out loudly in her head.

“NO! Team, get to Miss Robertson now, before the Fae-kin converts her!”, Dr. Bohra called out. They turned to see that Katherine was in front of Fae-raoh, the Fae-kin's hand on her helmet and an aura of silver and gold sparkles slowly engulfing their teammate. But the throng of dancers kept them at bay, and Tina watched on in disbelief as another of the team was slowly converted.

Katherine felt her focus and mind slowly give way as she stared into the brilliant brown eyes of Fae-raoh. The brilliant gold and blue, the smooth, perfect skin...and Fae-raoh's proclamations of all existing within her temple being subject to her will. She was inside her temple, which meant...

Her suit began to fade and twist, turning into the attire of Fae-raoh's harem dancers, though the green of her suit gave way to green silks as a golden bikini top and bottom formed. Her boots gave way to her being barefoot, while her dark hair turned the same color of green as her ears became pointed. Her skin bronzed as her eyes turned a lovely shade of brown, and her skin began to glitter with the same gold and silver sparkles as Fae-raoh.

“I exist within my Fae-raoh's temple. I am subject to my Fae-raoh's authority and power. I must obey my Fae-raoh in all things. Obedience is pleasure, servitude is bliss. All must know these truths. So sayeth my Fae-raoh.”

“Go, my Harem Green. Join your sister harem slaves, and bring your former team under heel.”, Fae-raoh commanded. A thrill of bliss in being able to obey filled Harem Green, and she turned to face her former comrades.

“Well, damn.”, Wendy muttered, but she had little time to react as Fae-raoh used her power to instantly teleport Harem Green next to Wendy, and the sudden sword attacks put the Ranger on the defensive. “Aack! G-green, snap out of it!”

Tina felt her stomach drop. Another of her team had been turned into a Fae-touched. Apprehension and fear of failure began to grip at her heart again, and her shots got a little more wild. Patricia and Chetana noticed this, and while pushing back against the remaining dancers, called out to her.

“Hey, leader-lady! Snap out of it! We came back from this kind of scenario before, didn't we?!”, Patricia chided.

“Exactly! Don't let your fear cloud your focus or judgment! That will only make you vulnerable again!”, Chetana added.

Even Wendy did what she could to inspire Tina, in her own way. “Red, don't be an idiot and stand there! Get your head on straight and do something about these swords! We need to get at that stuck-up queen!”

Seeing and hearing her team rally and try to get her act together forced her to summon up her courage and get her bearings. “...alright! Blue, use your estoc's alternate mode to create space between the group and those other dancers! Yellow, assist Black to keep Green busy! I'm going for the Fae-kin.”

“Right!”, they called back in unison, and changed up their tactics as Tina dodged and parried through the group of dancers. Any that tried to grab at her found a bladed whip lashing out at them and quickly grappling them or rendering them prone while Tina broke through the line. Once she was within range, she began to open fire at Fae-raoh, who took cover.

“My slave, Harem Green, to me!”, Fae-raoh called and snapped her fingers, and Harem Green was immediately at her side. Tina was anticipating this, and yelled out, “Yellow, fling yourself over here with your hammer's momentum!” Yellow didn't get the idea at first, but then it clicked, and she began spinning in place to build up enough momentum, before willing herself to get flung at the apex of the arc towards where Tina, Harem Green, and Fae-raoh were. She fired like a rocket towards the throne, cracking it in two as she landed.

“Fool! You will pay dearly for this!”, Fae-raoh yelled as she readied to teleport Patricia to convert her, but Tina fired on Fae-raoh to occupy her concentration. Harem Green then danced in, slashing at Tina and getting a couple of strikes on her as the leader tried to dodge out of the way, but Patricia swung her hammer in between them, knocking the blade from Harem Green's hand in the process.

“Now!”, Tina called out, and stepped onto the shaft of Patricia's warhammer to spin her up into the air. Fae-raoh couldn't respond quickly enough, and a hail of blaster shots rained down on her, one hitting her square on her headdress and making the decisive blow. The headdress broke, and a glow came over Fae-raoh as the foreign concept was undone by the energy blasts. Harem Green stagggered, and the image of the enslaved dancer faded away to reveal MagiTech Green in her place, looking a little confused.

“Excellent work!”, Dr. Bohra called out. “The Fae-kin is neutralized, and Miss Robertson is no longer Fae-touched. The space inside should soon revert from its own foreign concept and...Wait, I'm getting new readings. There's a surge of energy entering that space, watch out!”

Just starting to get high on their victory, and with the other dancers slowly fading back into unconscious human museum personnel, Chetana and Wendy were unable to react in time when a powerful force lashed them in the back and sent them flying, knocking them out instantly. Tina, Patricia, and Katherine turned to see something that looked like it was straight out of mythology: a woman, clearly Egyptian...but from the waist down her body was that of a massive snake, easily twelve feet in length. Her fingers ended in claws, and her 'hair' was in the shape of a cobra's hood. Her torso was clad in silks to hide what little modesty she had.

“Wh-who the hell...?”, Tina stammered as the cobra-woman slithered into the temple throne room. “Doctor, what is that?!”

“I...I'm not certain! We're doing a database search right now among Upper African and Middle-Eastern mythology and folklore! All I can tell you is that she's incredibly dangerous! You need to try to chase her off!”, Dr. Bohra called out.

Tina signaled to Patricia and Katherine to get their blasters. “Open fire!” A hail of shots rang out, but the creature was incredibly fast and only a few hits would be confirmed as she closed the distance.

“My plansss will not be undone by you humesss!”, the cobra-woman bellowed, and spat a ball of venom at the three still-conscious Rangers. They dodged in time, but the venom hissed and sputtered where it landed.

“She...she must be with the FIF!”, Katherine said. “We have to do something, otherwise she's just going to create more Fae-kin here! Her presence is keeping the foreign conceptual space stable!”

They needed something to fight her, but what? A memory was conjured up in Tina's mind as she assessed the cobra-woman's movements: an old cartoon she watched as a kid about a mongoose and a cobra, and how the mongoose would mimic the cobra's motions and use its claws to strike just as fast as the cobra could bite. She needed something like that now.

Tina charged the cobra-woman, and the creature's mocking laughter was heard as Tina willed such weapons to form on her hands, her arms, anywhere. As they were about to trade blows, weaponized claws, their blades extended to three feet in length, formed on grips on her forearms, and the Ranger leader got a good slash along the cobra-woman's right arm and body.

“EEEYAAAAAHHH!!!” The pain from the magical energy channeled into the blades that opposed the cobra-woman's own existence made her reel in pain, and she dodged out of the way of the follow-up attack from Tina. It was then that the cobra-woman paused, and she looked to the side as if something caught her attention.

“....there'sss no point continuing thisss fight. You win this battle, Rangersss. We will meet again, and when we do, you will face the true wrath of Faareha.”, she warned, and quickly slid out of the chamber. The team was shocked at how quick the fight lasted. It was less than a minute between when the cobra-woman entered the room and when she had rapidly slithered away.

“Regroup at command, team. Get Miss Urashima and my daughter out of there so we can get them treated. Doubtless there'll be a panic immediately outside the museum, but we'll put a damper on the reports as best we can.”, Dr. Bohra said, letting out a sigh to relieve some tension as the team followed her withdrawal order. Despite that, she was still concerned. The enemy had been far more active in this incident than the first one. Fae soldiers, and now this cobra-woman... how extensive were their forces...?

End of Chapter 2


	5. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 3, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate further as the cunning fox Kyoko steps up to the plate! What does this devious mind have in store for the Rangers? A devious fashionista!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 3: A Cunning Fox Makes Her Play! Risque Runway!

Part 1

At the Fae Invasion Forces base...

The first sight to greet Faareha when she returned from her recent mission was a scowl on Prince Tethas's face. While he had been the one to give the order to retreat, he was nonetheless displeased that both of Faareha's attempts to establish a converted space had failed. Both times, those unusually-clothed humes had foiled their plans, even after they had managed to turn one of them into a Fae-touched. Both times, the humes showed a good deal of ingenuity and the ability to take advantage of a lucky break, exploiting it to maximum benefit. What's more, this second attempt showed them to be more organized than the first, and Tethas knew that their teamwork was only going to build as time went on.

But what was most bothersome to him was that the humes were actually growing stronger. Lucky breaks could only be tapped so often, and they were unreliable as a strategy. Exploiting those lucky breaks could be mitigated with the right numbers or proper strategy to shut them down. And teamwork could be exploited or overwhelmed. He could deal with all those issues, given time and resources. No, what was most bothersome to him was that each fight appeared to made them stronger. Their equipment gave them an even playing field to fight Fae-kin and Fae-touched, and that equipment tapped into the inherent potential that humans had for conceptualization. The means to use magic at will, in a manner that they controlled, was not only an equalizer: if given time, it could become an advantage that his forces would not be able to handle.

That was the conclusion he came to when MagiTech Red formed weapons that could prove effective in dealing with Faareha. In fact, they were weapons that took advantage of speed and dexterity, and provided enough reach to be a danger to any melee combatant he threw at them. And there were still two of them who had not revealed their weapons yet, nor did he know their full combat capabilities. Did they have means of being able to show up anywhere? Flight? Weapons they could pilot and combine into some massive golem to stomp on his troops with?!

He put his ruminations aside and stood up from his throne as Faareha knelt before him. She had transformed back into her disguised form during her retreat, her height adjusting to make her smaller and less imposing.

“Apologies, Prince. Ambush effective. Did not consider enemy countermeasures.” The Egyptian snake-woman once again spoke in as few words as possible, saving her strength and magic. “Mission failed. Awaiting punishment.”

A frustrated sigh slipped from Tethas. “You may be at ease in that regard. I have no intention of punishing you for something beyond your control. While this attempt was a failure on your part, we gained a great deal of information. You have provided our forces a means of improving the process of conceptual conversion. We can refine how to create Fae-kin and Fae-touched both through our own direct involvement as well as through a passive effect from a converted area's influence. This is in addition to giving us useful data on how to best proceed with converting an area. In those regards, we have the means to ensure future attempts are successful.”

Faareha simply nodded, and Tethas could see through her body posture that some renewed determination had flared up within her.

“That being said, you have failed me twice. While I have no intention of punishing you, I also have no intention of letting you continue to act as our forces' active field agent and operations leader, at least for the time being. Those humes, those...Rangers. They will be more wary of you now. Not to mention that the methods you employed, while enacted at my command, are ones they will be looking for. I do not intend on allowing them to react faster and further impede our plans. That is why you are being benched, and I am letting another take over your position to move forward with a different method of operation.”

The determination that had flared up was now joined by a look of light indignation, accompanied by Faareha biting her lip. She didn't waste words with a response, however. Tethas had made his decision, and as his subordinate, she was to follow it.

“Who is replacement?”

A hearty “Fufufufu~” was the response as Kyoko appeared. The wintry kitsune fae stepped in, giving an amused wink at Faareha as she made her way towards Tethas, stopping next to the cobra-woman.

“There is your answer, Madam Faareha. For now, you are dismissed. Rest, plan, and build your strength. I may have need of you sooner than you think.” He gave a quick gesture to Faareha which she took as the end of the conversation, and she made her way out. Once she was far enough out of earshot, Tethas turned his attention to Kyoko. “Due to the circumstances surrounding our last operation, I have deemed it necessary to take a different approach to these Rangers. Thus, I am open to what you have planned now that you are taking over operational duties.”

The smirk on Kyoko's face grew a little as Tethas spoke to her. “I'm pleased to hear that, Prince. My method of dealing with this thorn in your side is...to give them exposure.”

His brow twitched at that, but before he could ask any further, Kyoko continued. “My infiltration of RBS is moving swiftly. The woman I'm using to carry out my plans has already found herself the focus of the network executives who run the company, and the favor she has gained has granted her a great deal of leeway for her position. So much so that she has the ears of the board of executives.”

“What does this have to do with how you're going to deal with the Rangers?”, he sneered. The grin on Kyoko's face widened further.

“Prince, with due respect, you were so focused on achieving your bottom line that you missed an important detail. These humes, the Rangers, whatever you wish to call them...they are trying to keep a low profile. Though considering the insight I have from my position in their media and communications, I was in a better position to see this than you were.” There was a sense of satisfaction in her eyes that drew a scowl from Tethas, but he wanted to see where she was going to take this.

“The way they arrive and depart from the scenes of our operations indicates that they don't want to have any unnecessary interactions. I'm assuming that knowledge of their existence would raise questions they don't want to have to answer, which would include having to deal with us.” The scowl on Tethas's face slowly withdrew, turning into a more inquisitive look. 

Kyoko continued, “Due to my position, I am also aware of the fact that there is a concerted effort in controlling the flow of information regarding our operations, and that this effort is by the humes' hands. RBS has been confronted by people who have some authority to suspend and prevent certain information from being reported on, and thus shared among the public. This extends to confiscating certain materials. Based on the concerns voiced by those in the company, it's safe for me to assume that other major broadcasters and media are experiencing the same as RBS is. This leads me to believe that whomever is supporting the Rangers and their operations is someone who is best served through operating in secret. This may also include whomever is providing them the resources to operate.”

Tethas nodded, getting where Kyoko was heading with her elaboration. “So you wish to give them exposure as a means of hampering their activities.”

“More than that, Prince.”, she interjected. “I believe that bringing the public's full attention to them and making them a known entity will allow me to pry just a bit more into their operations. The Rangers will face increased scrutiny, yes, but by using the guise of giving them favorable interviews and reporting, I can ingratiate myself to them and use that as a means of learning more about them. 'Honey attracts flies better than vinegar', as the humes say.”

“Ingratiating yourself with them while disguised would give you an advantage. They'd be more open. You could gain much needed information about each of them, potentially enough to turn one or two into a servant.”, Tethas grinned.

“Fufufufufu~” Kyoko couldn't help but let out another alluring titter of laughter. Now he was getting it. “That will be a goal I intend to work towards. In the meantime, I can also influence public thought to a more favorable attitude towards our forces. The amount of research on how media affects the psyche of some humes, especially when they're part of a group, is quite fascinating. I'm sure I can continue to tap into that, regardless of whether I'm leading operations or not. But for now, revealing the Rangers and giving them a platform to both impress the public and make fools of themselves is my goal.”

The prince took a moment to pause and think about what Kyoko had in store. His gaze flicked back up to her as a thought came to him. “Do you intend on carrying out successful missions to convert areas of Cold Iron and its people while utilizing the power of their perceptions? All of this is well and good, but we are here for a reason.”

Kyoko remained unflappable as Tethas directed some of his skepticism. “Of course, Prince. After all, we are here to regain the power we once had.”

“Then take your leave, Kyoko. Make your preparations, pick your target, and carry out the mission. I expect to see results.”

Her grin dimmed a bit, but it remained intact as Kyoko bowed and left the area to return to her plans. Despite his command, she had other ideas on how to progress with her end of things. There was a reason why she volunteered to investigate and infiltrate the communications of the human world: she saw potential with it that could be taken advantage of to achieve a victory that couldn't be stopped by traditional means. And thus far, Tethas was only thinking along the lines of traditional methods of invasion. But she was fine with letting him have his way thus far. The more he followed that method of invasion, the more the Rangers would react according to those methods, which would leave them vulnerable to something unorthodox that she could come up with...

MTR Project Command, Medical Wing

The first thing that Chetana felt as she came to was pain. Mostly some intense aching and throbbing along her left arm, back and neck, but also some relatively sharp pain along her left shoulder blade. Immediately her mind came to the conclusion that something had impacted her hard along that, and an ache in her neck told her that either her neck received some of the impact as well, or she had suffered from a bit of whiplash. Movement made the ache and throbbing intensify a bit, and that's when some hands gently but insistently pushed her back onto the table she was on.

“Nngh!” She winced, gritting her teeth as the pain alerted her of trauma, momentarily dizzying her. “What's the prognosis?”, she asked the waiting nurse, a dark-haired Caucasian in his mid-twenties.

“Some heavy bruising, mild soft tissue damage, and light trauma to your shoulder blade. Negligible nerve damage along your spinal column, that just needs a few days for you to be fully recovered from. Total recommended time to recover before you're good to fight again is about three days, ten days before the bruising is almost fully gone.”

Chetana remained still, lying there on the table and trying to match her injuries with the last few things she could remember. She recalled that they were on a mission to stop a Fae-kin. Katherine had been turned into a Fae-touched, but Tina and Patricia had managed to defeat the Fae-kin while she and Wendy were occupying the other Fae-touched harem dancers. They had just managed the win with a decisive blow, when she felt something hit her from behind with such force that it must have knocked her out.

“...how long was I out, Adam?” 

“No more than half a day.” He gave a quick look at the medical read-ups on the tablet he had on hand. “Miss Urashima woke up about forty minutes ago. Her injuries were consistent with yours, but less extensive: bruising was less severe, minor soft tissue damage, but she woke up with a bad headache. Due to her background and physical training, I think she should be ready in the next day or two with some minor icing and anti-inflammatory medication.” There was a pause as he checked a few more details and findings from sharing the medical data with other departments, before he relayed their findings to Chetana. 

“Your suits took almost the full brunt of the blow that you and Miss Urashima were dealt by that snake-woman. They also protected you from excess trauma that would have resulted from whiplash or hitting the ground. There are no signs of concussion or fractures, no damage to ligaments and muscle that would require you to be hospitalized. As it stands, your Ranger suits can take an impact that surpasses the capabilities of tank armor, and provide even better mobility than Kevlar. It's just a matter of training the body to catch up.”

What Adam said fascinated her. Sure, she was the chief medical officer of the Project staff and had a direct hand in how MagiTech could interface with the human body. But experiencing the fruits of her research and experimentation firsthand was something completely different. The potential for this technology to help the infirm achieve a standard of living as if they had no ailment was...

“Now I'm getting side-tracked.”, she thought. That could be developed further as a consequence of Project MTR, but it was not the purpose of it at this time. “You mentioned a snake-woman? I'm assuming this entity was the reason for my and Miss Urashima's convalescence. What happened exactly? Was the mission a success?”

“Ah.” Adam blinked, then shook his head. “I'm afraid I'm not privy to the full details, but I've heard that today's mission was a success.”

Well that was a relief. Something must have occurred that allowed Tina, Patricia, and Katherine to beat that snake-woman. Chetana would have to speak with her mother about the details regarding the end of the mission. If there weren't any incidents of further Fae-kin activity over the next few days, she could catch up on what the team was debriefed on while she recovered.

“Thank you for picking up the slack for me while I was unconscious, Adam. I appreciate it.”

“It's no trouble, Dr. Bohra.”, he smiled. “I knew you'd want the data we've gathered for your own personal research, and it's important that the team is in top shape. If you need anything, or if something comes up regarding Miss Robertson's time as a Fae-touched, I'll be around.”

The next day, 2:34pm...

Various technicians and extra bodies hired to move and lift equipment kept a brisk pace, as preparations were underway for an up-and-coming fashion designer's newest line to be featured in a runway presentation. Alda Sartori, a native-born Italian woman in her mid-forties, had at first kept herself abreast of how set-up was going for the stage, lighting, and positioning of seating arrangements for guests, photographers, and investors. But after a few hours, she withdrew from surveying such work and returned backstage to her private room. Most of the dresses that she had requested to be featured in the fashion show were already backstage, stored away in special cases and carefully bagged and wrapped to ensure they weren't damaged or received too much direct handling. The models that had been provided by an upper-scale clothing distributor and retailer as part of the show would not arrive for two days, but the retailer sponsoring the show had sent her profile pictures of who they were, their height and their build, as well as references from their own social media profiles.

Some of them had promise and could pull off a few of her dresses, but the rest she found lacking. The idea of having to alter many of her dresses to match models she didn't find fitting of them was a great source of frustration to her, and that frustration began to wear on her after stewing in it for an hour and a half. She wasn't nearing the height of her frustration, which could lead to fiery outbursts and explosive arguments, sometimes even physical altercations. Thankfully, she had been undergoing therapy sessions for anger management and anxiety, but she always wrestled with the desire to just ask for anti-anxiety medication so she could have more time to work on designs and deal with the stitching and mending of the materials for her dresses herself.

She still had a great deal of vigor and beauty in her appearance, but it was starting to become steely. Slight wrinkles were on her face, and there was just a touch of deep gray that she let through her dark hair. Instead of trying to hide it, she wore it with some pride, stating that it was a mark of her dedication to seeing her work recognized, as well as making her look distinguished and a bit more matronly. With a mix of humor and determination, she said she would gladly have her hair go bleach white as an old woman's with the wrinkles to match if it meant her accomplishments with her vision in fashion could be recognized by the world.

Alda had a great deal of intelligence, most of it invested in her eye for fashion and imagination, but she also picked up on how to be more business-savvy in presenting her designs and pitching them as she entered into her 30s. The past fifteen years had been a series of constant battles with the old guard of the fashion industry, who were deeply entrenched with its biggest names, as well as the movers and shakers of the industry who didn't like competition that didn't want to settle for what was given to them. She had gained much ground, and while she didn't have the energy and sheer charisma of her younger days, her experience made up for it. She knew that if she could rewind the clock on her age a decade, however, she'd be further along and in a far better position to operate as the face of her designs.

She had been a little lost in thought, going over some ideas that involved some different materials and how to utilize them in eye-catching and elegant ways, when a knock at her door was heard.

“If you're not with catering, come back in an hour!”, she called out with her back turned to the door. The person on the other side did not leave, instead responding to her.

“I'm Beverly Holmes, with RBS. We discussed the possibility of featuring advertisements for your line of clothing, and I'd like to follow up on that.”

Alda paused, scrunching her face for a moment in thought. “RBS? Oh, you're one of the new blood of the media.” She gave another few seconds of mental debate with herself on whether or not to let the woman in, during which time Beverly spoke again.

“Yes, ma'am. Public Relations, specifically.”

The fashion designer turned quickly, moving back on the rolling chair that she had requested before arriving in Cold Iron. “Come in, come in.” Ms. Holmes represented something that she could take advantage of, and in fact needed. Plus, she had an idea... Upon entering, Beverly saw Alda get to her feet and move to greet her, at first shaking her hand but then pulling that into a polite hug as a greeting. But that was quickly cut off as the fashion designer's shoulders rose a bit in surprise, and Alda looked at Beverly with a little concern.

“My dear, your hands are chilly! Did you come from an industrial refrigerator?”

Beverly shook her head and gave a chuckle. “I'm sure that was just the air conditioning in the car on the way down here. I get hot easily.”

Alda gave a momentary flicker of a skeptic eye before moving on from the subject. “I suppose you have considerable leeway due to your position, Miss Holmes. There is more I wish to do besides advertise this current line as part of a store that is only accessible to Hollywood, Manhattan, or Milan.”

“Please, do tell.”, Beverly commented as she took a folding chair and sat. “You won't mind me recording this on my phone, will you?”

“Unless you are streaming it now, or intend to distribute it beyond a presentation to your employers, I do not mind. I do not want word of this reaching the ears of those who are organizing this show, nor do I want anyone in the industry catching wind until I am ready. Do you understand?”

Beverly gave a nod. “It's between us and those I can trust at RBS to be discreet.”

“Good.” Alda's expression relaxed a bit, as did her posture. “I have wanted my designs to be admired and spoken of with reverence by those who value beauty. But though I have mostly achieved that goal, I have recognized that those who are constants and the brokers of power in the fashion industry are more than content to limit their clientele to the elite. Politicians, actors, royalty, the corporate elite. They thrive off of profiting from the admiration and envy of the common man, using their peers to give glorified window advertisements in media galas and red carpet events. There is no interest to include anyone outside of their little bubbles. While their assumption that the average person cannot appreciate their work holds merit, there is no effort on their parts to close that gap. They are gatekeepers by their own design.”

Beverly listened with great interest as Alda elaborated and gave her thoughts. She was clearly going somewhere with this, and the fact that Alda wanted to keep this a secret save for with those that Beverly trusted told her that this was something big. Her eyes flashed blue for the briefest of moments as something stirred within her.

“The fact that the average person can admire those who wear these clothes, and subconsciously associate their clothes with the success of those they envy and idolize, is telling. I want the average woman to feel that success, to feel that confidence, to wear what I make and feel transformed into the most beautiful and most successful version of themselves they can be. So, I want to make my dresses and provide my designs for all women. All sizes and backgrounds are welcome, and I intend on taking on the burden of these costs so they are affordable to them.”

The woman's words seemed to tug at something within Beverly. She had to take advantage of this. Alda's zeal and passion, as well as her ideas, were something that could lead to great things. What those things were had not been fully fleshed out in her mind, but she felt compelled to take this opportunity.

“I like it.”, Beverly grinned, and her eyes flashed a bright blue again, but the shine disappeared before Alda could catch sight of it. “But I have to ask why you would want to discuss this with me? RBS wouldn't have any interest in going into fashion. Reporting on it is one thing, and I suppose I could work with the executive board to cut you a deal. But I don't think it would be...wait, I have an idea. What about hosting your own program with us? An arrangement where RBS acts as your platform and managed contract partner is doable. You would have to deal with an increased workload due to hosting your own show on our streaming and VOD services, but you would be paid as part of the contract. Not to mention, we would provide assistance in organizing a crowdfunding page for your efforts to help mitigate costs, as well as any other avenues for customers and patrons to hire you for your services.”

The Italian woman held a hand up and waved it in place a bit to have Beverly pause. “My dear, you're using jargon that I am not familiar with. But I think I understand that you have the means to make this plan more than a dream.”

Beverly grinned a bit more widely, and there was a brilliant spark in her eye that Alda took as confirmation. “I'll get this proposal to the executive board, Ms. Sartori. It may take a bit of time, but I think RBS will be eager to take up new avenues of promoting talented individuals such as yourself.”

“Buono!” Alda was overjoyed, and almost hugged Beverly before catching herself and simply offering a handshake. “If you can make it happen, I accept!”

As they shook hands, Beverly's eyes glowed a brilliant blue, and Alda felt the grip grow firmer as an unnatural coldness crept up her hand. For a brief moment, Beverly seemed to have the image of white, ethereal fox ears form atop her head, and a predatory smirk on her face. But the concern that Alda felt vanished as that cold entered her torso and quickly spread to her heart and mind. Her eyes glimmered a soft blue for a moment, all worries put aside as her idea and the proposition that Beverly suggested became her sole driving motivation.

“I can admire a woman who wants to shake up the status quo.”, Beverly said, though it wasn't her voice that was speaking through her lips. The fox ears materialized, and gradually her appearance shifted as Kyoko manifested, replacing her for the moment. “You'll get your opportunity to do so, but there are a few things you'll need to do for me first, Miss Sartori. As part of the agreement between you and I, I need you to change a few things about your dresses for the fashion show. Don't worry too much about it, though. Our contract makes it so that you now have some extraordinary means to make fulfilling your end of our deal possible.”

The icy kitsune took Alda's chin in hand, leaning it to get a good look at the woman's profile and to see how effectively she was bound by the contract. Satisfied, she released her hold on Alda's chin.

“I will be nearby to ensure that things proceed according to your desires, as tempered by my whims. Once your have finished preparations, the boon I have gifted you will grow in strength, until such time as I deem it appropriate to manifest you as a Fae-kin. For now, as my contracted servant, you will follow your end of the deal while avoiding drawing attention to it. You will also use this as an opportunity to promote a conceptual conversion of key areas of the convention area. Understood?”

Alda had looked distant the entire time that Kyoko spoke to her, but her awareness sprang back to life as she was prompted for a response.

“Yes, my Lady. I will do as you command.”

The fae gave a smug grin as she ran a finger along Alda's cheek playfully, leaving a light coat of frost in its wake as she turned from Alda.

“Excellent. You will be handsomely rewarded, Miss Sartori. I hear becoming a Fae-kin is a very enjoyable experience. Savor the slow burn of your conversion, darling~” She sauntered out, phasing back into being a passenger in Beverly's body while still controlling it as she exited the room. Alda would begin planning and making her way to where the dresses were being kept once Beverly had left the area. She was going to be quite busy.

Two Days Later, 3:45 pm...

Thanks to the bleeding-edge equipment and medicine that had been developed as a result of MagiTech, Chetana and Wendy had been cleared to resume their duties as Rangers. Tina, Patricia, and Katherine had checked on them over the few days since they came to, and showed a great deal of enthusiasm over their speedy recovery. Despite Wendy's aggressive attitude being used to have the three other Rangers keep their distance, she still showed some thanks for their concern. During a visit the day before, however, Tina became vocal about Wendy's attitude, and confronting her caused a moment of tension that was broken up after Katherine persuaded Tina to leave the room.

Things had calmed down since then, and while Chetana wasn't sure if Wendy was one to hold grudges, she seemed unperturbed when the group was called together by Dr. Bohra.

“I trust you and Miss Urashima are rested and recovered, daughter? It pleases me to see that you're all in good health, but sadly there is no time for you two to enjoy it. Yesterday, we received readings consistent with energy signatures that indicate conceptual conversion. However, these signatures are showing up in a sporadic and weak fashion. Under other circumstances, I would have sent out two of the active Rangers to investigate and deal with any of the FIF if they were there, but there is a substantial issue in this case.”

Dr. Bohra looked up to some of the analysts and crew, who synced up the data and scans to the large screens that stood before the Rangers and Dr. Bohra.

“Kathrine will pick up on this, but I'll lay it out for the rest of you. These readings, while weak, seem to be growing stronger. It is a gradual thing, but we are certain this is the case. This does not match how the fae have operated in our previous missions, so we're uncertain as to the exact nature of this instance. What's more, the area where this activity is taking place is Cold Iron's convention center, and this evening there is going to be a sizable media presence in the area, in addition to many high profile individuals with the fashion industry.”

“Wait, fashion?” Patricia looked a little confused. “Why would there be so many people at the convention cen- ...oh.” The look of confusion on her face turned into a slight frown.

“I believe you answered your own question, Miss Jefferson. There is a fashion show being held there this evening, featuring some prominent figures in that industry, in addition to a few movie stars. There are also a number of paparazzi, reporters, and camera crews. Currently the only people there are those directly involved in the show itself, security, and some skeleton crews from media networks. Perhaps somewhere around fifty people. However, that number is going up as time passes, and by six in the evening, there will be well over two hundred people inside the main auditorium of the convention center. We anticipate there will be another one hundred and fifty on the convention center ground, both inside and outside. This is only factoring in those who are invited.”

“At least three hundred and fifty people by the time this event starts...”, Tina thought out loud. “That's probably the most people that would be involved in the FIF's plans for a conceptual conversion of a space thus far. If that is what you're getting at.”

“It's better that we take this seriously.”, Dr. Bohra responded. “There's a big media presence, and we're not ruling out the possibility that they're trying to announce their presence on a large scale. It's a bold move, but announcing themselves to the world by turning over three hundred people into Fae-kin and Fae-touched in a single night and having even one stream or video of the incident reach the internet is something we cannot afford. It is a strong demonstration on its own, but evidence of the fae's existence would cause chaos that we cannot allow to occur. The connections Project MTR has with the Department of Defense would allow us to act quickly in containing such information, but those first several minutes where we would be behind would be enough to spread awareness. From there, we have no doubt that the collective consciousness of the public who are exposed to such footage would be impacted.”

“So what do we do?”, Wendy asked. “This doesn't seem like the kind of mission where we can run in and crack the heads of any fae.”

Dr. Bohra gave her a quick look, one that seemed to convey some slight irritation. “It isn't. You are not to engage any FIF forces unless as a last resort. This mission is one of reconnaissance. If there is fae activity, you are to do what you can to ensure you can quarantine or neutralize any FIF presence and area conceptual conversion without drawing any attention. You will coordinate to distract those at the convention from your activities, and you have permission to neutralize any recording equipment that may be problematic towards maintaining your secrecy as a strike force; if there is fae activity, then you must neutralize all nearby recording equipment as discreetly as possible. You will not cause a panic, you will not cause a scene, you will not announce your presence to the public. Do I make myself clear?”

As much as Patricia and Wendy wanted to speak on how this seemed to cross the lines of legality, they didn't protest. Dr. Bohra could tell that these parameters didn't sit well with the team.

“Unfortunately, this is one mission where you must exercise discretion and interpret how to maneuver through the parameters I have set for you. Your hands are tied, which will make this a great deal more difficult than the past two missions. It is times such as these that will show you how far you've come as a team, and how far you may yet have to go.” There was a pause as she tapped on a few nearby keys on the console next to her, bringing up a map and sending electronic documents to the team's phones. 

“Since we have to mobilize on such short notice and with a low profile, we've plotted a route to the convention center that you will be taken by. Project MTR has managed to fast-track some cover stories and documentation that will get you inside. Once there, you are to follow further instructions from me and any of the chief analysts who are monitoring activity inside the convention center. However, once you're inside, it's up to you to maintain a low profile. If any of you are forcibly removed from the premises, we will not be able to get you back inside. Good fortune to you, team.”

4:50pm

The traffic had been abominable on the way to the convention center, and as they finally got through the last few lights leading up to it, the pressure to find where the Fae signals were coming from and stop whatever plan the FIF had in store before the start of the fashion show caused the team a great deal of anxiety. Patricia in particular showed signs of being on edge, due to an issue that had been unknown to the rest of the team before now.

“You mean to tell us you have hang-ups about fashion models?”, Wendy asked with some incredulity.

“Yeah...part of it comes from some snooty professional cosplayers and streamers who flaunt sexy outfits for views; they didn't like my criticisms about how they operated. Aside from that...maybe I just don't like how some women will just pose and profit off of their looks.” Patricia scowled as she said this, and Wendy got a bit of a wry grin on her face. It seemed that she and Patricia had a bit of commonality in that they took pride in the skills they had developed, and using those skills to make a living without having to bat lashes was something they especially prided themselves on. Not that the others didn't understand Patricia's sentiments, but Wendy found herself really getting where Patricia was coming from, and felt a bit more respect towards the gamer girl.

“Just try not to let that antagonism dictate how you react to this mission, okay?”, Tina chimed in. “You want to show what you're made of? Show us results. Perform and excel at what Dr. Bohra tasked us with. That way, you're showing those who flaunt their looks what really matters.” She grinned as Patricia smiled a bit wider, getting energized and pepped up as she re-focused on the mission. Wendy gave a quick glance towards Tina before looking at the convention center itself, making a mental note on how their leader could do a good job at times.

“Here's your stop. Time to rock out, ladies.”, Tim quipped, getting out of the front passenger seat of the van the team was in and opening the sliding side door to let them all out. Katherine, Wendy, and Tina were dressed as a cameraman, reporter, and crewman respectively, with forged press passes on hand to gain entry inside. Chetana and Patricia were dressed up as some middle management-types whose documentation had them as transfers to help with the workload among the organizers inside, allowing them to go in first and check backstage while the other three walked through the front door and assessed the party itself.

Katherine turned to Tim as the group of women stepped out and unloaded some equipment. “Don't need to tell us twice, Tim. You two just make sure that the van is ready and the communication relay is stable.” Tim waved his hand in a haphazard fashion out of irritation, griping “Just get your asses in place, god!”

While Tim and Katherine got into a short back-and-forth, Chetana and Patricia slipped out and began moving towards one of the side entrances that would give them access to where the backstage was, along with the dressing rooms and storage rooms for a variety of equipment. No one paid much attention to them before they reached one of the side entrance doors near a troupe of vans and cars that the show organizers owned. The two were quickly met by staff and a burly security guard as they approached, and Chetana flashed a quick identification badge with Patricia following suit.

“We're the transfers. We need to take a quick look and check in with some of the staff before we can pass information on to the event organizers.”, Chetana quickly said. Patricia didn't say anything since her fellow Ranger took the lead, but waited with a bit of impatience on her face for security to check their identification and credentials. After a few minutes, the staff and security got an all-clear, and the two women were led back by one of the heads of staff to get a quick rundown of where everything was.

“The two doors down here on the right are storage for some of the equipment that we've got as replacements, in case we have a malfunction. Everything's been checked already, but we're going to do a final equipment check in the next 15 minutes. One of you should be ready to help out with that, I'll leave it between you two who gets that job.”, he said, brushing a hand through his short, dark hair. He would lead them further to a T-intersection, gesturing down the hall before them and saying “That way is to the convention floor proper, specifically the hallways right outside of the show floor. If you're called to assist with anything there, these doors are your best way to get there quickly. Signs are posted, see those arrows? That'll tell you where to go, remember that.”

He then led them down the left corridor at the T-intersection, taking them to a series of rooms along their left. “These are the dressing rooms for the models as well as a couple of storage rooms for the dresses they're wearing. One of you is going to be dealing with these stuck-ups, and I don't envy you. They've been a bit of a pain in the ass all day, asking for more than what we can scrounge up for them. It's like they're testing us. Again, your call on which of you two deals with them, but you need to decide quick. Now, this door here.”

He points to one specific door with a name plate on it that says 'Sartori, Alda” on it. “Unless you're specifically requested to enter this room by Mr. Diego, you are never to go in this room. Do you understand?” Chetana and Patricia nod their heads, and the staff manager blinks as he gives a slight nod. “Alright, that's the particulars, I'll leave you two to the rest. Handheld radios are in the staff equipment room. Take a right from her back the way you came, follow it down, and the room with that should be the second or third door on your left. It'll be a black door with a window in it. If the light is off, the door is locked and you'll have to get security to open it for you. You already know where they are. Any questions?”

He was just about to turn around and walk away after asking that when Patricia was quick to ask, “Where do we take convention patrons if there's an emergency?” He turned around with a start, blinking a bit in surprise, and he looked like he was going to give some criticism before letting out a quick sigh.

“Okay, outside of standard evacuation protocol, if there are people panicking that are close by, you lead them down this hallway and towards security. They're equipped to contact police if there's an emergency, and they have enough gear to hold off any kind of threat from harming patrons.” With that, he quickly took off towards the convention floor to avoid any further questions, disappearing past the doors as he left.

“Wow, rude.” Patricia clicked her tongue, and Chetana had to force herself not to grin at the quip. 

“I suppose we should decide who is going to deal with the equipment check and who is going to deal with the models.”, Chetana remarked, looking at the doors to the dressing rooms as they turned to go to the staff equipment room.

“Ugh...yeah...” Patricia scratched her head, grimacing. “Well, I've got experience in dealing with different kinds of equipment when it comes to lighting, audio, and recording, so I'd be best suited for that...but that would leave you with those bitches.”

“...yes, that's true.” Chetana gave a placid look that belied her apprehension. Her mother was a rather forceful personality, and she was still trying to navigate handling matters with Wendy. This seemed a bit too fast for her own interpersonal skills...

“...alright, I'll deal with them.”, Patricia smiled. “I at least know my way around bitchy, egotistical people. You deal with the storage stuff, okay? That shouldn't be too bad. Besides, it'll probably be checklist stuff, just to make sure they're operating. They wouldn't take too long this close to the show itself.”

A voice crackled over their communicators, one belonging to Tina. “Wendy, Chetana, what's your status? We're still outside, but we've got all the dummy equipment ready. We just need to enter through the front.”

Chetana quickly responded. “We're inside, but Patricia and I will have to be split up for a short amount of time, perhaps ten to fifteen minutes at the most.”

There was a pause for about fifteen seconds, then Tina radioed back. “Affirmative. It'll probably take us another half an hour to get into position, so take advantage of this time and maintain communication. Be cautious, and keep your eyes open for any readings that are out of the ordinary. Otherwise, continue with your undercover operations. Be discreet. Tina out.”

After that, Chetana and Patricia would retrieve their staff radios and split up. Chetana waited nearby the equipment storage room, where there were already two other staff members waiting by. They perked up as she approached, but soon let out some moans of frustration when they realized she was a transfer.

“I apologize. The supervisor should be on hand shortly, just bear with me for now.”

Patricia, meanwhile, made her way towards the models' dressing rooms, taking a deep breath before entering. Inside, she saw two dozen attractive women, all sharing a similar body type, as they finished primping and having makeup assistants put on the last touches. A few of them entered and shot some haughty or irritated looks towards Patricia, causing the blonde to scrunch up her nose and purse her lips.

She flipped through a quick checklist to make sure all the models were there by headcount, before checking a personnel sheet at the door to make sure no one who wasn't supposed to be there was in the room with them. As she did so, one of the models got up and gracefully sauntered over to Patricia with a nonchalant look on her face.

“Excuse me?”, the brunette asked with a bit of an accent, perhaps Greek, or at least somewhere around the Mediterranean. “Is the water on the way? Some of us are a bit thirsty from having to sit in front of the mirrors and having these lights shine on us.”

Patricia blinked in surprise that one of them was...not being immediately bitchy to her, and turned around to give a slightly neutral smile. “Can I ask who last received that request? My shift just started, so I'm afraid I'll have to ask if you need to know.”

The model clicked her tongue, but it wasn't attitude directed at Patricia. She was more irked that there was still a wait. “I'm sorry, I thought you were the one we asked last time...but you look a bit too pretty to be her, now that I look at you.”, she grinned. There was an impish glint in the model's eyes, but it wasn't malicious. Was she flirting? Or just having a bit of fun due to boredom?

“Thanks! I still need a name, though.”, Patricia said with some professional courtesy and friendliness. She held back on being patronizing, but had that at the ready in case things went south.

“Uh...Angeline? Angelica? 'Angel' something, I'm sorry, my mind has been elsewhere for the past hour, I forgot.”

Patricia took a quick look at the sign-in sheet, looking up from where her cover name was and found it two names above hers. “Angelica. Alright, I'll ask aroun-”

Just then, the door quickly opened, and many of the models and makeup artists got up in surprise as they grinned or looked on in surprise. “Oh dear, Miss Sartori!” a few voices exclaimed, and Patrica backed away as the woman of the hour entered the room to survey things. She showed a great deal of dignified elegance to her movements, and looked like a pillar of femininity with a practiced edge. Patricia had seen something like this before among a friend's mother: this woman wasn't here to play around, she was all business and wanted to ensure that she looked good while she took care of things. It was something that Patricia could admire, even if Alda Sartori was in a field she personally disapproved of.

“Yes, darlings, it's me. I was just checking in on things and...hm?” She turned towards Patricia, and right at that time Dr. Bohra's voice came on over Patricia's commlink. “Miss Jefferson, we picked up a reading very close to you, but it was a very brief, short reading. Investigate it immediately.”

That was weird. As soon as this woman entered, a reading was caught? Well, there were such things as coincidences, but if the reading was very close to her, then that narrowed things down considerably. It would have to be someone in this room or right outside of it. But she wouldn't be given that time, as Alda Sartori moved closer to Patricia with a focused, analytical gaze, surveying the blonde.

“Uh...ma'am? Can I help you?”, Patricia blinked. Alda looked her over some more, then smiled.

“...yes, I think you can, dear girl. Come with me.”

The look of surprise was evident on Patricia's face, and on many of the other faces in the room as well. Before she could say anything in response, Alda had taken her by the hand, and with a gentle but firm grip, insisted that Patricia follow her. The blonde didn't protest, and her feet seemed to follow along with the request as she was led out of the fitting room by the featured designer of the fashion show.

End of Part 1


	6. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! Chapter 3, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of chapter 3. Things take a drastic turn, and the Rangers are up against the wall. Will they fail, or will they eke out a win when the Fae try to influence the public by going public?!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 3: A Cunning Fox Makes Her Play! Risque Runway!

Part 2

“I can let you and all the other crews in in two minutes, ma'am. No sooner than that.” 

One of the security guards hired by the convention and fashion show organizers, sporting cheap sunglasses and a close-cut haircut that made him mildly attractive, continued to do his job as a physical barrier between the three dozen people that made up camera crews from all the local affiliates. He was rather effective at his job, standing at 6'2” and looking physically fit enough to lift most of the people in the throng of reporters and camera crews. The VIPs were already inside, and now notable sports and Hollywood stars with the appropriate connections had been milling in over the past fifteen minutes. To pass the time, many television tabloid show and pop culture magazine reporters were getting quick words with the stars who passed by on the red carpet.

The guard got another good look at Wendy, angling his sunglasses down a bit as he gave her another quick appraisal. He had seen that kind of posture before with some of the guys he had the fortune to know personally: there was a level of confidence and tension that indicated some martial training. He smirked a bit at that, plus that the reporter before him was quite attractive. He didn't say anything regarding those two points though, but he was one that enjoyed seeing a pretty lady who could kick someone's ass.

“So, who exactly are you three with?”, he followed up. That got a quick look from the camerawoman towards the crew technician who was still fumbling a bit with a Bluetooth headset to avoid interference from other camera crews and their equipment.

“We're with a separate NBC affiliate station that's about fifteen miles from Cold Iron. Channel Seven out of Brighton.”, Tina responded. “Smaller station than here in Cold Iron, less of a budget to devote resources to covering this, but our bosses want to cover it so we can pull viewership from Channel Ten here.”

“Hehaha!” He grinned at that, shaking his head a little. “Damn, I didn't realize competition between affiliates was alive and well! That Anchorman nonsense is real? I gotta tell my buds this after this job is done!” Just then, the crackle of a personal radio was heard coming from the security guard's belt, and he quickly brought it to his face. “What's up?”

The voice on the other end was a gruffer-sounding male voice, which quickly responded. “Harrison? Ah, beat me to it. Get ready to let in the vultures in forty-five seconds.”

“Copy that.” Harrison turned his attention to Tina, Wendy, and Katherine, and eyed them one more time before taking a quick survey of the crowds outside. Ten seconds passed, then he spoke again once he was certain that no one else was paying much attention. “You three get in. You got twenty seconds to get a head start on Channel Ten.”

The three women blinked in surprise, and Katherine asked, “Why?”

“Because I like the look of your reporter friend. I can spot a woman who can hold her own, and I want to see you three get a leg-up on the competition. Favoritism, whatever, just get inside.”, he quipped as he quickly opened the door and jerked his thumb to gesture that they should hurry. Wendy scoffed, but put on a wry smirk as the three slipped in without notice.

“I can't believe he let us in early.”, Tina said incredulously. “It's twenty seconds, but that can be long enough to set up something and cause trouble later.”

The wry smile didn't leave Wendy's face as she responded. “Hey, he liked my attitude, so he let us in. Besides, this place is crawling with security and they're letting everyone in in under half a minute, so they won't care anyway.”

“Time to play pretend while these toys find what we're really looking for...”, Katherine murmured as she positioned and pivoted the camera to record, hitting a few switches that would transmit directly back to base. At the same time, frequencies were logged and analyzed to parse through all the noise and movement to find any traces of FIF activity or the registered energy readings that command had logged beforehand. In the meantime, Wendy got into character for her role in the operation.

“We're here at the Cold Iron City Convention Center, where close to two hundred guests from the fashion and entertainment industries are waiting to be seated in preparation for what may be one of the biggest moments in the fashion industry of this decade. As you can see, this is a gala event, invite-only, where major sports stars and Hollywood actors have come out with their peers in the fashion industry to see what revolutionary designs Alda Sartori has to show the world.”

Katherine would pan the camera as Wendy spoke into the microphone in her hand, catching the dozens of people that were milling through the convention towards a waiting area, where they would talk and sample food for a little longer while also taking interviews and photo ops with the paparazzi and reporters.

“We're lucky enough to have gotten in a little ahead of some of the other news teams, so we'll take this chance to try and speak with some of the event organizers.”, Wendy ended, and Tina gave a gesture to Katherine to cut recording. It was all an act, however: besides the camera, many of the devices being used that looked like traditional equipment for field reporting were actually sensitive detection and analytical equipment that were meant to pick up readings of heightened conceptual energy shifts, which would indicate interference from the Fae.

The three began moving towards the sides of the throngs of VIPs and entertainment elite as they recorded their findings. It was then that Dr. Bohra's voice came in over their comms.

“Red, Green, Black, respond.”

“MagiTech Red here.”, Tina whispered, and the other two linked up. “Go ahead, Dr. Bohra.”

“I contacted Yellow about fifteen minutes ago regarding a brief reading of Fae energy, and sent her to investigate. She did not respond to my order, nor has she responded in the time since. Blue has informed me that she is unable to check on Yellow due to maintaining her cover, so I need one of you to do what you can to slip past security and check backstage for Yellow.”

“That's easier said than done.”, Wendy sighed.

“We'll do what we can. Perhaps we can try to convince one of the event organizers to let us get a look backstage.”, Tina added. “I can't make any promises without potentially blowing cover, though.”

“Do what you can.”, Dr. Bohra said, ending the transmission. A worried look passed between the three women...

Backstage, Chetana was busy working with the supervising employee who was tasked to do an equipment check on the spare equipment in storage. They were inside the storage room, and she stood near the door, glancing every so often outside of it when she heard footsteps or saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

“Alright boys, we're almost done.”, the supervisor, a brunette in her 30s, spoke. “Check the batteries on those spare walkies and microphones, and make sure those headsets can pick up and receive audio, and we'll be done here. Aren't you glad we got the big stuff out of the way first?”

It was at that point that Chetana happened to glance out the door again. As she did so, she saw an attractive blonde in her late twenties in impeccably pressed business attire walking past the door. But something caught her attention that no one else saw. The reflection on the metal paneling at the bottom of the door did not match the woman's attire. There was some kind of dress or...robes? Long fabric that seemed ceremonial and colored a lovely shade of icy blue with white trim.

Chetana immediately turned towards the supervisor and spoke up. “Ma'am, I apologize, I need a quick five minutes.”

“What for?”, the supervisor asked.

“T-to use the restroom, ma'am.”

“Well geez, just go if you have to, I'm not your school teacher.”

Chetana said nothing in response, maintaining an expressionless look as she ducked out of the room and started to follow the direction of the blonde she just saw. She wasn't in sight, however, and too much time had passed to accurately gauge which way she could have gone. Chetana opted to contact her mother instead with what she just saw after finding a safe spot to communicate from.

“Yes, Blue? Have you found Yellow yet?”, Dr. Bohra asked.

“We're using our squad designations, things much be more serious than I thought.”, she thought. “Not yet mother. I heard the others are within the convention grounds proper. I'll rendezvous with whomever is heading back here shortly by giving them an in. Relay the team to get close to my current position so we can make it quick. I also have to report an unusual sight I saw a few moments ago.”

“Oh? Please continue Blue.”

“I noticed one of the people back here who looked like they were one of the main organizers had an unusual reflection. Rather, the metal paneling on one of the doors as they walked past had different attire from what they were wearing. It was only from the ankle down, but it looked like the hem of robes. I was unable to see which direction she went before I could pursue.”

There was a pause, and some tension built up in Chetana's chest as her mother chose a course of action.

“...Blue, you and either Red, Green, or Black will investigate, but only after they are in physical contact with you. You are to use your current cover to the best of your ability to get one of them back stage. Afterwards, you and the Ranger accompanying you will find Yellow. Understood?”

“Yes mother.”

“Good.”, Dr. Bohra said with some finality. “Contact me when you and one of the other Rangers has found Yellow. Maintain radio silence with command on your end until then, and inform whomever is accompanying you to do the same. You have permission to maintain communication with the other Rangers.”

Unknown to Chetana, Patricia was wondering just how she got into her current situation. One moment, the same woman whose profile was shown on various screens and displays around backstage had taken notice of her, then she was convinced to leave the models' dressing rooms, and now she was in Alda Sartori's personal room as the 40-something year old woman eyed her up and down. She was a little unnerved, but Alda didn't give off the aura of a smug, egotistical fashion designer that Patricia had imagined all of them to be. Rather, the older woman was fawning over how photogenic the blonde was, and how the attire she wore hinted at the body underneath.

“Yes, buono! You...I think you might be suitable for the dress I've been working on specifically for this showing. I didn't think it would be possible, but...yes, you're the best that I've been offered thus far!” Alda's eyes were alight with excitement as she looked over Patricia some more. “You have a certain vibrancy in your skin, eyes, and hair. Something that just pulls in attention, and your posture...have you worked as a model before, darling?”

Patricia put on an awkward smile, trying to compose herself so she could answer without stuttering. “Not as a model, but I've done some work with live broadcasts online.” She didn't want to say that she was a video game streamer, primarily because she didn't want to answer any probing questions into what that entailed. Or to be judged. ...wait, why should she care what this woman thought of her career choice? It paid well and she enjoyed it, who cares what anyone else thought?

Some of that attitude shone a bit in Patricia's eyes, and Alda chuckled with some mirth in her tone. “I won't pry, darling. It doesn't matter what the work entailed. Only that you know your way around the front of a camera. I can tell. It's...perhaps it's best to say its something in your eyes and body language.”

She paused a moment, then her smile widened a bit. “I think...oh, but the other models would throw a tantrum...bah! Who cares?! You would be perfect for my premiere dress, and for you to wear it would send the kind of message I wish to convey to the world! You must wear it, darling!”

“Wait, wait lady...”

“Alda Sartori! Or Miss Sartori!”

“S-sorry. Miss Sartori...I didn't agree to wear anything for you.” Patricia had a bewildered look on her face which gradually turned into one that she would wear to try and assuage another person. Alda looked equal parts irritated and disappointed to hear Patricia's response, and the look was effective in breaking the blonde down a bit more.

“Alright, just...hang on. ...how about I see the dress first, then I'll decide if I want to wear it or not.”

Alda's eyes lit up, and a mirthful and girlish grin formed on her face as she moved over to a section of the room that was blocked from view by a curtain. Its function was clearly makeshift, thrown together at the last moment and hung by a rolling coat rack to cordon off what Alda kept there. “I always keep my favorite dresses close by. You never know when I may need to make an alteration as my fancy dictates.” She pulled the curtain aside, and Patricia felt her jaw drop a bit.

The dress was gorgeous. Wine red in color, it curved and conformed to the partial mannequin's curves perfectly, hugging the hips and waist. Its skirt cascaded down, with a slit on the left side as it flared towards the bottom. It ended with the hem in a rigid form to just brush the tops of the feet of whomever wore it, with the hem itself rigid in a ruffled pattern to emulate the curvature of fine drapes partially drawn back. The rest of the dress was just as elegant and lovely, wrapping around the back with a strapless corset that had a plunging neckline past the breasts. On its front was golden lace trim patterning made out of separate fabric, meant to draw attention to the core and the plunging neckline while still maintaining a look of elegance and sensuality. 

Completing the look was a choker with the same wine red and golden lace trim fabrics, with a matching pair of arm length gloves that were embroidered with the gold lace trim around the backs of the hands and at the ends of the gloves. A pair of three-inch heels mimicking the same colors and motif finished off the look.

“...wow...that's...beautiful~” Patricia was almost spellbound by the dress's appearance and ensemble, and for more than a lingering moment, she thought of how she might look in it with professionally done hair and makeup. She'd be drop dead gorgeous in it...

“That's the look of a woman who is enraptured with exquisite beauty~”, Alda cooed. “You seem to have the same appreciation as I do for finery. Tell me, what is your name? What is your profession?”

Just as Alda began asking those questions, the door to her room opened, and another blonde entered the room, professionally dressed. Patricia quickly turned around to see who it was, stepping back as the other blonde entered.

“Ah, Miss Holmes. Good to see you! I hope the arrangements with your superiors has progressed favorably?” Alda had her full attention focused on the other blonde, but Beverly's attention was solely focused on Patricia. She gave the undercover Ranger a quizzical eye, and Patricia would swear that there might've been a glint of recognition in her gaze, but Beverly soon straightened up and introduced herself.

“Beverly Holmes, Head of Public Relations for RBS.”, she said with professional courtesy, offering a hand for Patricia to shake. The other blonde did so with a look of uncertainty, and once she gave a couple of shakes Beverly pulled away and stroked her chin. “Are you one of the transfers here? I'll admit, I was surprised when I got word of additional staff being sent here to assist with set-up for the show. Especially since we're not exactly understaffed. Do you know who ordered the transfer?”

Patricia immediately went into her undercover role, shaking her head before answering. “I'm afraid I wasn't informed of who made the request over here. Just that we needed to come here to assist with preparations before the show began.”

Beverly nodded, looking reasonably convinced. “May I have your name?”

“Oh, uh...” For a second, Patricia almost gave her real name, but she caught herself and gave her undercover name instead. “Janine Daniels.”

“Nice to meet you, Janine. Now, I'd like you to stay put while I discuss things with Miss Sartori regarding her show. And forget what you hear.” It was worded like a command, but Patricia blinked in confusion. For the briefest moment, she felt...odd. Like the air in the room suddenly got a bit more oppressive and focused entirely on her, but the feeling passed. Beverly narrowed her eyes, catching the reaction, and snapped her fingers to draw Patricia's attention.

“Look into my eyes.”

The words came so unexpectedly that Patricia did just that, giving a “What?” as a response before Beverly's blue eyes glowed. Due to how fast it came and how powerful the mesmerism was, Patricia had no time to mentally prepare herself before that gaze seemed to bore straight through her mental defenses. Without a fight, the Ranger felt her thoughts slow, then stop, then her mind emptied as she fell into trance.

“What is your real name?”, Beverly asked with a commanding tone.

“Patricia Jefferson.”

“Why are you really here?”

There was a second of hesitation before Patricia answered. “To investigate possible Fae activity.”

Beverly grinned, and the aura of icy fox ears and tails appeared on Beverly's person as Alda watched on obediently, now in her own trance.

“Are you one of the Rangers?”

“Ah....yes...” The hesitation was more noticeable, but Kyoko's mesmerism was strong enough that, even with enhanced defenses, an unprepared mortal mind would not be able to resist. The grin on Beverly's face was now fully fox-like. She had not only managed to find one of the Rangers before they could impede her plans, but she even got their name~ However, she could not take Patricia's name as she was right now. Rules of the Fae and all, but she could definitely use the information to influence the young woman down the line. For now, she had a bit of damage control to do, and a Ranger to take advantage of. It would be a shame to waste an opportunity to use one of those who opposed her to her benefit.

“Patricia, you will forget everything after you entered this room once you awake from trance. Do you understand?”, she requested.

“Yes...”

“Wonderful, darling~ Now, you won't come out of trance until your fellow Rangers confirm having rescued you.” This time it was a direct command, and Patricia affirmed it in response. 'Beverly' left Patricia to stew longer in her trance before turning to Alda.

“It's time, Miss Sartori. Time for the passage of time on your body, mind, heart, and soul to be rewound by twenty years. Time for your passion to swell and grow until there is no room left for it, and then let it burst by sharing your passion with all. Time for your dreams and desires to redefine you, through the lens I give you. Time for you to abandon mortality, and become Fae-kin. It's time for Alda Sartori to become Fairy Fabulous!”

It was less than ten minutes before the show was about to start, and Chetana had just reached the employee entryway into the staff only areas for one of the others to join her. Upon opening the doors, she spotted Tina, Wendy, and Katherine about fifty feet away from her, and quietly contacted them over comms.

“I have visual on you three. I'm at Katherine's eight o'clock position.” She waved quickly to grab their attention, and just as the three of them caught sight of Chetana, the lights in the entire convention center dimmed and flickered, before turning out entirely. Gasps and verbal exclamations of surprise were heard all around, as were the footsteps of a dozen people heading towards the doors. Security and convention staff were quick to respond.

“Everyone, calm down!”, Harrison called out. “No need to panic, this is nothing more than an unforeseen issue with the power. We'll have it sorted out quickly.”

Over the Rangers' comms, Dr. Bohra's voice suddenly piped in. “Team, stay put. Readings are starting to rise sharply. They're consistent with elevated Fae activity. ...prepare yourselves, I think we're too late to prevent the worst-case scenario from occurring.”

Even as the team exchanged looks of worry and preparedness, one of the organizers for the show itself then added, “Please be patient and cooperative with security and event staff. The show will be delayed slightly, but rest assured it will go on.”

“Oh, it absolutely will go on, darlings, but I can assure you all the show won't be delayed!”, a chipper, lilting voice said over the speakers, and lights began to turn on to offer a theatrical air. “If anything, the show starts now! We're ahead of schedule, ladies and gentlemen, so why not have things start off right for this lovely show!”

A spotlight appears from nowhere, its source unable to be located, but what's more shocking is the figure that it shines on. A woman with stunning, raven-black hair with silvery glitter that gives the appearance of stars in the night sky is shown. Her skin is pale and yet radiant, glimmering with gold and silver sparkles, while she wears a stunning dress of white that almost radiates light like the sun, sporting a pair of gossamer fairy-like wings. It was dazzling, but not harsh on the eyes. Her eyes glow a light, icy blue with a preternatural beauty. And many of the fashion elite in the main hall are quick to point out that she looks like a young Alda Sartori.

The woman waltzes forward on a raised catwalk stage that seemed to appear out of nowhere. In fact, the entire area seems...larger, and changed dramatically in its dimensions. The catwalk itself lights up, giving the impression of both a fashion catwalk and a burlesque stage. More of the area around everyone is gradually revealed, television screens showing close-ups of the changed Alda's face and physical profile. And all the colors are variations of light blue, white, and silver.

“Confirming signatures consistent with area-based conceptual conversion. Readings are on the rise. The convention center's interior will likely be a fully converted space within the next ten minutes.”, Chetana said. “Dr. Bohra, what are your orders?”

“Mobilize.”, was what the Rangers heard on the other end. “Find a safe place to suit up, and deal with this. Make it quick.”

“Affirmative.”, Tina responded, and she looked to Chetana before adding, “Take us to a good spot, Blue.”

A voice spoke up over the speakers as the altered Alda Sartori strutted to a point of prominence on the new stage. A vibrant, sultry-sounding voice that was heavily amused by the events taking place. Elsewhere, Kyoko, now fully manifested with various security guards and convention staff turned into frozen statues, watched from a newly-created VIP booth that was hidden from sight, yet overlooked the entirety of the convention floor.

“Ladies and gentlemen, all you lovely humans with your delicious emotions and valuable conceptual potential...welcome to the show of the evening! I am your Mistress of Ceremonies, Kyoko! And tonight we have an unscheduled but very exciting change to the show!”

Everyone on the floor looked around in confusion, and the security guards who were at the convention doors were no exception. ...until some of them started smirking in an uncharacteristic manner. Harrison was one of them.

“That's our cue, boys!”, he shouted, and in a flash, they had turned into Fae Invasion Forces soldiers, quickly knocking out the other guards and blocking the exits and entrances to close off all avenues for the various rich patrons and guests to escape through.

“And there we gooooo!”, Kyoko cheered. “Now that all entrances are secure, I want you camera crews to record everything that happens! Not like you'll be able to take your eyes off of what's to come anyway, since you're going to get some juicy news~”

The news crews and paparazzi almost looked dumbfounded, but then they realized that capturing the events on film was what they were there for. Might as well do their jobs. Cameras were soon rolling, and some of the guests even brought out their phones to record and upload to the internet, or stream what was happening live. Within minutes, Kyoko was receiving notification through her connections with RBS that numbers had quickly spiked into the tens of thousands, and showed no signs of stopping.

“There you go~! Now I'll leave the rest of the show to the lady of the hour! Have a good time, darling~”

“Thank you, darling~! Let's give a round of applause for Mistress Kyoko, everyone~”, 'Alda' exclaimed with a bright smile on her face. “We are having a fashion show tonight, do not fret darlings. But it will be one of great significance, greater than any before. Before now, fashion simply enhanced what was already there, and all these models were glorified mannequins. But now...now fashion will transform~ Fashion will redefine~ Fashion will bring out the beauty that exists in every woman, as I see it! Behold! The new line from Fairy Fabulous: A New Fae You!”

More lights shone onto the stage behind Fairy Fabulous, revealing all the models who had been hired on to feature Sartori's designs. There was no indication that anything was wrong with them, but they were posed in such a way as to indicate that they couldn't move, and all were positioned in an oblong, oval shape in relation to each other.

“Each of these lovely models has been hit with a temporary enchantment so that they are perfectly posed to show off my extravagant, revolutionary designs! But that's not the best part. This is!”

With a casual finger snap, one of the models glowed, and was overtaken by a flash of light. When it faded, she was free to move...and looked completely changed. Flashy, extravagant makeup in the same color theme as her canary yellow dress was featured, and she glimmered in a silver light, sporting ears that ended in points at their tops.

“All my designs are meant to turn the wearer into a Fae-touched! I hope you're all recording this so viewers can see this first hand! And in case you all think this is a trick of the light...”

Three more successive finger snaps, and three more models were turned to Fae-touched beauties, all sporting winning, blissful smiles. Kyoko watched on with a smug grin on her face as she saw how the numbers were spiking ever higher. And as they did, the convention center underwent a quickened change as well. More of the silver, blue, and white motif overtook the area, turning the walls and ceiling into a shiny, shimmering structure straight out of a fairy tale.

“Belief is power! Belief is beauty!”, Fairy Fabulous cheered, and snapped her fingers even more as the Fae-touched models beamed, sauntered, flirted and flaunted their new selves. Each successive conversion added to the guests' and patrons' realization that this was real, and they could be next. That was exactly what Kyoko and Fairy Fabulous were hoping for...

Then a set of doors flung open, and four figures quickly ran out, flipping and cartwheeling onto tables near the stage with flair and expert agility. Lights immediately flicked to them, putting them in the spotlight.

“Alright, you know the drill, ladies.”, Red said over comms, before striking a sentai pose, which the others would follow suit with. “Hold it there! The Fae Invasion Forces will not win this day! We've beaten you twice over, and this will be no different! I'm MagiTech Red!”

Wendy growled a little, but followed Tina's lead. “Cheerleaders, Pharaohs, Fashionistas, it makes no difference! We're the protectors of Cold Iron City! Here's MagiTech Black!”

Katherine then followed suit. “With the fusion of magic and technology, we prevail! So says MagiTech Green!”

Chetana summoned up her composure, and gave her line next. “You won't have your way! Not if we can help it! MagiTech Blue has arrived!”

All together, their voices rang out. “Together, we are...the MagiTech Rangers!”

The patrons and guests all turned to see the new additions to the bizarre event that was happening before their eyes, and a good number of them started to...laugh?

“...that doesn't seem like something we were aiming for...”, Wendy mutters. But silently, Kyoko looked on with a slightly amused look on her face. Doing something so ridiculous and stilted made the previous welling fright and belief that this was a supernatural occurrence turn into thoughts of how this seemed to be a rather elaborate means of staging a children's show. Aside from the laughs, there were groans and yelling at how this fashion show had turned into a farce.

“Whoever is leading them is clever, I'll give them that...”, Kyoko grinned, talking to herself with the intercom off. “But I have an ace~”

Fairy Fabulous was of the same mind, and though the conceptual conversion had slowed to a snail's pace, she decided to really kick things into high gear.

“Ah...but these were all models you already knew about. You could assume that this is all some elaborate show...but I do have a demonstration that will prove this is very real, my lovely audience. Come out, Patricia darling~!”

A light shone onto the stage, and the stage opened up, with Patricia appearing on a platform that rose up. She was clad in the same dress that had caught her fancy earlier, and it fit her perfectly. However, she still looked the same, albeit caught in the same trance from before.

“Shit, this isn't good...” Wendy started to make a move towards Patricia, but Tina grabbed her arm to hold her back and shook her head.

“Red is right. Don't make a move on her, she's obviously enthralled. I'm worried that something untoward may have happened to her, but we can't play our hand early.”, Dr. Bohra commented.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it's quite obvious that this isn't one of the models I hired, judging by her lack of makeup and how she's actually rather fit and average in weight. Yet you can see she has an inner beauty that brings out this dress!”, Fairy Fabulous proclaimed. “I give you Patricia Jefferson, a celebrity in her own right in internet subculture! She has a following that continues to grow to this very moment, and she promises to be a successful successor to those of you in entertainment and fashion who take your roles for granted. Your time is nearly up, darlings! Why should the future of fashion bother with outrageously-paid models and stuck-up designers, when I can take a rising star of new media and do...this!”

With a snap of her fingers, Fairy Fabulous conjured up the Fae magic that had suffused the dress that Patricia wore, and the dress shimmered and glowed. Even in her trance, Patricia could feel a bliss and ecstasy fill her that made her shudder and moan. Due to the power of the trance and the magic, she remained upright, but the transformation that had been so sudden for the models was slowed and given prominence to highlight exactly what the Fae-kin wanted to display.

Patricia's skin gained an inhuman, lovely glow, as it glimmered in gold and silver sparkles, while her bust and curves seemed to enhance and conform to the dress before everyone's eyes. Her hair shifted and twisted, turning into perfectly styled and primped golden-blonde locks that fell in a glamorous femme fatale style, while makeup was magically applied to her face to give her a stunning look that would turn heads. Gold nail polish was applied to match the gold lipstick and eye shadow she wore to finish the look.

The greatest changes came to her mentally, however. Patricia the gamer was gone, but her sense of showmanship and playing to the crowd remained. It was just twisted and augmented, making her a flirty, feminine thrall to Fairy Fabulous. She gave a pose, blowing a kiss to the crowd as she flaunted her unearthly beauty.

“I give you...'Pretty-sha!'”

“Confirmation of Miss Jefferson's conversion into a Fae-touched. The hold on her, as well as the Fae magic channeled inside her, is very high. Two minutes until she's become a full Fae-kin.”, Dr. Bohra relayed to the rangers. “In addition, the conceptual conversion of the area has hastened again, due to the Fae-kin's words and actions having a profound impact on the patrons' perceptions. However...I think this should be an easier fight than your previous ones.”

“How?!” Katherine had lost some of her composure, looking at one of their team staring them down as she sauntered to Fairy Fabulous's side. “We've got less than two minutes before she's a Fae-kin, and there's over a dozen Fae-touched! We don't know what they're capable of!”

“The dresses.”, Chetana replied. “The magic is centralized in the dresses. If we can destabilize the effect the dresses have on them, we can free them quickly.”

“So what, we strip them?”, Wendy asked.

Chetana nodded, surprising the others. “That would be the quickest way, yes.”

“Well...okay.” Tina came up with a quick plan. “Green, use your suit's visor to scramble all the phones and cameras in this area. The rest of us will rush Fairy Fabulous and the other Fae-touched and buy you time. Once you've confirmed that they're all down, we'll...strip them. T-minus a minute and thirty, go!”

Katherine quickly activated her visor and focused on switching its analytical functions to jamming and broadcast interference, while Tina, Wendy, and Chetana rushed the fabricated stage. Screams and cries of surprise rang out from the audience while the models, including the converted Patricia, formed sparkling balls of light that turned into homing projectiles. Chetana and Tina summoned their weapons to deflect the strange attacks, managing to hold them off. The Fae soldiers who guarded the entrances didn't budge in order to keep the guests from leaving, so that was one less worry for the Rangers.

“A minute and five seconds!”, Wendy cried out. “Green, are those devices offline?!”

“Not yet, Black! I need another twenty seconds!” Katherine was trying to speed up the process, willing her visor to take in all the electronic devices before she realized a detail she missed. “Oh, I'm so stupid! An EMP!”

Visualizing a localized EMP field that would take out all electronic devices while leaving the guests, the Rangers, and the Fae-tempered foes unharmed, Katherine threw her arms in a wide arc and unleashed the exact size and frequency of the field she needed to disable every phone and camera in the convention space where they were fighting. Cries of shock and outrage from the crowd filled the area, but the team received confirmation that all streams and broadcasts were offline within the convention proper. Emboldened by this news, Red, Blue, and Black quickly got to focusing their attacks on either damaging only the dresses, or pulling the dresses off the models and Patricia.

“No, NO!! My dresses!!” Fairy Fabulous covered her mouth in horror, seeing her work trashed as the magic dissipated from the ruined dresses, and the models returned to normal.

“Twenty seconds!”, Dr. Bohra called out. “Get Miss Jefferson back to normal and out of there!”

“On it!” Chetana quickly engaged her Fae-touched teammate, and with a flick of her wrist her estoc extended into its blade whip form.

“Oooh, Blue~ I didn't know you enjoyed that sort of thing~”, Pretty-sha cooed, guarding Fairy Fabulous and preparing a point-blank blast of magic. The casting time went faster than Chetana expected, but Wendy grabbed her outstretched arm and pulled it to her gut, taking the blast and knocking her back ten feet, where she slid off the stage. In that moment, Chetana whipped her weapon to slash and tear at the gorgeous dress, and the image of the foreign concept that inhabited Patricia shuddered and started to fade.

“Nn-noo...I'm...so gorgeous like this...I don't want to be plain again...”, Pretty-sha moaned in a mix of fear and continued ecstasy from her converted self.

“You're not plain!”, Chetana exclaimed. “Patricia Jefferson is vibrant in personality and character! Her beauty shines through in action, not just in appearance! Remember that, and remember who you are!”

Pretty-sha's eyes widened, and the concept destabilized, returning Patricia to normal while still providing her some sense of modesty. Fairy Fabulous was beside herself in anger, screeching furiously.

“Oh, shut up!”, Chetana snapped, and whipped her weapon out at the Fae-kin to slash her dress apart. Like the others, the foreign concept applied to Alda Sartori de-stabilized and fell apart as Chetana caught and carried away Patricia backstage. Tina caught Alda as she phased back to normal, while Wendy chuckled at how easy this fight had been compared to the previous two. The conversion of the convention floor itself rapidly began to unravel, and Kyoko decided it was time for her to leave and let Beverly have the reins once more. But not before giving some last words of parting to the Rangers.

“Farewell, Rangers. We'll meet again. Savor your victory. No matter how many you rack up, I'll be ahead of you~ Fufufufufufufu~!”

The Fae soldiers took the hint and slipped through makeshift portals to return to base as she spirited herself away. She reappeared backstage as the space began to return to normal, fading back into Beverly Holmes, who had a glazed look in her eyes before she came to. As the space inside righted itself, she blinked in bewilderment, attempting to get her bearings before hearing the commotion out on the convention floor.

The patrons and guests had an odd mix of emotions, but for the most part they understood that this wasn't a stunt or fake-out for a different show. Many showed confusion, trying to process what they had just seen, as some simply took the opportunity to run out of the convention area and escape outside, where they were met by a multitude of reporters who were rushing to interview them. All they were met with were words of incredulity, and despite catching what was said about fairies and being trapped and models turning into bizarre vixens, they were not believed. At least not until cameras caught sight of the Rangers. It was at this time that Beverly came out onto the convention floor and saw the Rangers for herself as they ran off at superhuman speeds, one of them carrying a blonde woman bridal-style. Something nagged at her when she saw that...a sense of distrust, of course, but also one of curiosity. And a name that she could follow up on: Patricia Jefferson.

Project MTR Command, 11: 34pm

Patricia was undergoing medical examination for any residual influence from her time as a Fae-touched while the rest of the team were being debriefed. Considering the circumstances and how bad things had gotten, Wendy had expected Dr. Bohra to be at the bare minimum stern with them, and perhaps outright furious. But to Wendy's surprise, she was accommodating, if a bit sullen.

“I will admit, I would have preferred that none of this occur. However, I feel that the circumstances regarding this mission involved specific factors that were outside our control. In fact, considering this individual named 'Kyoko', I feel that we were outmaneuvered. Or perhaps set up.”

Tina stepped forward as Dr. Bohra speculated on these points. “Doctor, I do not believe this Kyoko is the same entity that we encountered at the museum. Her voice was quite different from the snake-woman that I fought.”

“That doesn't necessarily mean anything with the Fae.”, Dr. Bohra said in refutation, shaking her head. “However, you are correct in your belief, Miss Gutierrez. The previous two missions involving the Fae were far more straightforward. This one, however...I can only assume that we were either baited, or we were expected to get involved. Either way, this Kyoko character has shown more cunning than what we faced before. And if there are in fact two separate high-ranking individuals with the Fae Invasion Forces, then we are dealing with a greater level of organization and tactical proficiency than we had previously expected. In addition, it may not be just those two leading the FIF.”

She gave a heavy breath through her nose to ease some frustration and tension before she spoke again. “...I will have to discuss these new developments with the Department of Defense. Needless to say...the world is now aware of the FIF, as well as our existence. The President and the Secretary of Defense will not be pleased, but our current successes should offer us some breathing room in regards to how they handle things. I do not expect Project MTR to be shut down so soon, especially when we have kept the FIF's impact contained and have shown ourselves to be effective. However...operational capabilities may be impacted by these developments. We're likely going to be ham-stringed in one form or another, most likely by someone overseeing our activities. Be prepared for that.”

“Dr. Bohra!” One of the operational staff called out, quickly walking towards her and the Rangers with a worried expression on her face. “I'm afraid we've got another complication.”

“What is it now?”, Dr. Bohra frowned with a clear tone of annoyance.

“We've received notification from our government contacts that an executive from RBS has taken an interest in the 'MagiTech Rangers'. She was at the convention when the FIF attack took place, and she's...looking for an interview with the Rangers, as well as Miss Jefferson...”

End of Chapter 3


	7. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part of the Card Game Tournament arc! Mostly set-up, but I think you'll enjoy what's hinted to come! Someone close to Wendy (MagiTech Black) seems to have painted a target on his back...

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 4: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 1

It had been a week since the incident at the Cold Iron Convention Center, and a final briefing was being held between Dr. Bohra, and the Defense Secretary, one Mrs. Harriet Bowman. A woman in her early fifties with dark brown hair and gray eyes, she and Dr. Bohra may have been of the same generation, but their priorities were on different wavelengths. And right now, Dr. Bohra was receiving the final thoughts of the DoD's investigation into what had occurred. The words that came from the Defense Secretary's mouth weren't the words that Dr. Bohra feared would come, but they were still words that weren't welcome.

“We've reached similar findings to what your reports and data have covered, namely that this time the FIF had planned for your team's intervention and involvement. While the President and I are hesitant to consider this mission a success due to what has occurred in the aftermath, we also acknowledge that your team performed admirably under pressure, and their effectiveness as a strike unit is improving from its initial formation.”

Bowman took a drink of water, pursing her lips as her throat flexed from a bit of dryness. The stern look on her face wasn't one of disapproval, but of a professionalism in discussing the matter at hand. The pause was also a calculated one, as Dr. Bohra knew it was meant to emphasize that the U.S. Government was continuously assessing the team, as well as to emphasize what would be said next.

“All things considered, we're in agreement with your own conclusions. The outcome of the mission itself was favorable, and your team took enough precautions to ensure that you kept to secrecy and discretion. The problem was that there were unknowns that turned around and bit you, putting us in the position we are in now. Exposure was against the arrangement you had with us, and now with public awareness of the 'MagiTech Rangers' and the Fae, we are forced to adapt and shift with new demands from Congress and pressure from the public. As a result, there is no other recourse than to increase the level of oversight on Project MTR.”

Dr. Bohra closed her eyes and let out a slow breath from her nose, offering a nod in acknowledgment. A middle ground option. Unfavorable, but not catastrophic. She would just need to be diligent in dealing with the increased government presence in Project Command.

“We will have increased security presence at Project MTR proper, for a start. Security checkpoints with minimal staff from the DoD so that we can avoid having the budget on the Project show up without close scrutiny. Aside from that, your authority as Project Head has been downgraded, and you will be answering with daily reports on the recorded activities of the FIF, strike team training sessions, experiments with MagiTech, development of new equipment, data collected, and any other activity related to the operation of Project MTR to a specially appointed member of the DoD. They will be on-site to record their own observations, assessments, and findings on the activity of Project personnel. Including you, Dr. Bohra.”

Bohra kept a passive look on her face, but internally she was aggravated. Having a caretaker was not something she needed if her direction with Project MTR was to be successful. But things could have been much worse, and this was not a deathblow to her plans.

“So I am to be put on a leash?”, Dr. Bohra asked. The question, while not exactly unexpected, caught Bowman off guard with its tone: civility hiding a dagger.

“I would not put it that way, Dr. Bohra.”, Bowman replied. “We simply need to have greater oversight and additional eyes involved in the Project. This is to ensure that we can avoid another occurrence of what happened at the convention center. Thus far, your team has been effective, but they have experienced firsthand the capabilities of what the Fae Invasion Forces wield.”

“So it's a matter of a lack of trust in the project personnel, and containment of any potential threat from within.”, Dr. Bohra stated, and Bowman would hear the knife in Bohra's tone be passed back and forth between her hands. Bowman gave a slight but visible grimace as a flicker of intimidation passed in her eyes. “Secretary Bowman, with due respect: I did not get to where I am today without having insight into people. Talking with them, reading their body language, that's the tip of the iceberg in what I excel in. I was brought on not just because of my research and breakthroughs. I was told by the President himself that I have a commanding presence and a keen mind, which was why I was made Project Head in the first place. To me, this comes off as the Executive Branch having cold feet because something they don't understand grazed their nose.”

Secretary Bowman furrowed her brow and leaned in a little in a display of trying to assert control over the discussion. “Dr. Bohra, need I remind you that you answer to the Executive Branch. If we get 'cold feet' because disaster almost occurred, you are to follow what we direct you to do. We are dealing with a breach of national security, an invasion within our own borders that has the potential to become an international threat. Despite your brilliance, you are not versed in Geo-politics and international affairs. We are.”

Dr. Bohra gave a slight head-shake, then rebutted, “The FIF are not going to threaten the rest of the world until they have Cold Iron.” That statement gave Bowman pause.

“How do you know this? There's nothing in our findings that indicate they won't deploy elsewhere in the world.” Bowman clenched her teeth, growing irritated with Dr. Bohra's controlled insubordination.

“It's simple. In folklore, cold iron is said to be anathema to the Fae. It burns them, disrupts their abilities, and is a useful tool in disrupting their plans when all else fails. They chose this city because claiming it for their own would be a declarative and metaphorical victory over mankind's historical defiance towards them.” Dr. Bohra looked at Bowman as if her answer was the most logical, reasonable response one could make. It was akin to saying that gasoline is what a car needs to drive when asked by a child why you would need to go to a gas station.

“I...” The Defense Secretary blinked, bewildered and slightly intimidated again. “...that will be all, Dr. Bohra. I won't mention your lack of decorum in this briefing to the President, but I would advise that you don't make it a habit. Have a good evening.”

The connection ended, and Dr. Bohra quickly swiveled in her chair, crossing her fingers in her lap as she stared off at a point on the wall in concentration. She knew the Fae needed to take this city, it was thematic. And considering the current level of complexity of communications around the world, taking a single city and remaking it in their image would be a domino effect that weakened the collective consciousness of the rest of the world, making them easier pickings.

Not to mention...the MagiTech Rangers had proved themselves a capable obstacle in the FIF's efforts. They would want to completely dominate and undo what Project MTR hoped to accomplish as a secondary objective, likely taking MagiTech for their own in the process. These were beings that operated outside human behavior and logic, yet enjoyed indulging in the interactions with 'lower beings'. It was a game to them.

Well, Dr. Bohra intended to win it. The U.S. Government would either be an ally and provider of resources in this game, or it would be pitted against the FIF while Bohra prepared her own plays. Either way...Project MTR was her brainchild. No one else would run it, and no one else would have it if she could help it.

Fingers still crossed, she turned back around in the chair and rested her elbows on her desk, posed in such a way as to conceal her face from the nose down while her computer screen illuminated her glasses. The effect was that it concealed her expression while she was deep in thought, which was a preference of hers.

Her daughter once said it was an exceptional poker face. Dr. Bohra did find it humorous. And it hid her smile well.

A few days later...

Wendy Urashima opened the door to enter her home: a relatively inexpensive flat that had enough amenities on hand to cover her needs and a few luxuries. Arching her back to stretch a bit after a rigorous workout at Project Command, she threw a duffle bag of sweaty workout clothes and padded gloves and ankle guards onto the floor next to her couch, before proceeding to make a heavy 'flump' into it with her body.

She needed that workout, because the news that a new level of oversight over Project MTR reached her and the other Rangers. Patricia was being held longer than Katherine or Tina did due to the new personnel from the Department of Defense getting involved, and despite the two not being particularly close outside of their Ranger duties, she was feeling anger on behalf of the outgoing woman.

“Bunch of bullshit, Chetana cleared her, there's nothing residual with her... they just want to throw their weight around.” This was one time that she was glad Dr. Bohra was in charge. Despite her own frustrations and sheathed antagonism with her, she saw how shrewd the acting commander of Project MTR was, and Wendy knew that their 'dear leader' would be able to keep these suits in line so things could continue as usual.

She pulled out her phone, an upgrade from the one she had before that was given to her as part of being a quote-unquote independent contractor with the U.S. Government. Doubtless it was being tracked, so she couldn't get too careless with using it, but it had more use to her than her six-year old phone that she had before. She flipped through a few news feeds that she was subscribed to, namely world news and current events. One of them related to a precinct in Tokyo that some close relatives lived in. Of particular note was her uncle Akihiko, whom she had met as a young girl a long time ago, and who came off as one hell of a badass when she was shown around the martial arts center he worked at. To say that he inspired her down a path of physical self-discipline would be an understatement.

Wendy then opened up a social media app, checking on some of her relatives in Tokyo, before being pinged through private messaging by a cousin who had moved to the U.S. three years ago. He happened to be Akihiko's son, but Tetsuya was nothing like his father. She decided to catch up with him to see what was new with him, opening up the IM window.

W. Urashima: Hey 'suya, what's up?

T. Urashima: Hello Wendy. And please don't call me 'suya, we've discussed this before.

W.: Sorry, I'm still kind of thinking of you like I did several years back. We've only seen each other a couple of times after that, so I'm still getting used to the idea of you in the States on your own.

T.: That's understandable. I won't take it the wrong way this time. Just please try harder to call me by my full name next time.

With a slight cringe on her face, Wendy redirected the conversation back to what Tetsuya was contacting her about.

T.: Oh, yes. I..ah...

W.: Hey, none of that in IM. That's weird.

T.: Sorry, you're right. I wanted to ask you something. I'm trying to branch out and meet new people while I take an internship at Cold Iron University. I was wondering if you could meet me tomorrow, maybe for a quick lunch at the KFC nearby campus? I could use some advice.

Wendy had to chuckle. She knew it was harmless, but if no one knew that Tetsuya was her cousin and that they merely had a filial relationship, they'd take this as an invitation to a cheap date.

W.: Sure thing. I'll meet you tomorrow, 11:30. Okay?

T.: I'll see you then.

She waited for any further messages, then closed the app after half a minute and sagged into the worn-in couch. It was later in the afternoon, but she still felt some anxious energy from her earlier anger.

“Guess I'll find out what I can throw together for dinner. Or just order out and charge it to the Project budget.”

That day, at the FIF base...

“While I am extremely displeased that the previous mission ended in failure, you did display a great deal of competency in achieving your other goals.” Tethas paced a little as he addressed Kyoko, giving a short summary of his thoughts from when they had spoken, following the attempt to convert the convention center and its inhabitants. “I take it that things are in motion for you to talk face-to-face with the Rangers?”

“Indeed~” Kyoko smirked. “There's to be a press conference after Cold Iron's city government acknowledged the existence of the 'MagiTech Rangers'. I will be poised to get an exclusive interview following that conference.”

“When will it be?”, Tethas inquired, sitting down on his throne.

“A few days from now. However, I think we've afforded the Rangers enough time in getting prepared for our next attack. Therefore, I have a plan that I believe will be a curve ball for the Rangers, and one that should give us a quick foothold before they come to bother us.” Kyoko covers her mouth as she chuckles shrewdly. “I managed to find out a great deal about who the Rangers are exactly. Sadly, I could not manipulate things to make Patricia Jefferson give me her name. But! We do know the identities of the Rangers themselves, and I'm working on finding out about their associates. The more we learn about them, the more we can pinpoint the location of their base of operations.”

“And then it's a matter of time before we swarm them.”, Tethas grinned. “I do like your plan, and I like it even more because you're delivering on what you seek to accomplish. Very well. For now, you are free to act as you see fit, testing the Rangers' defenses and seeking their weaknesses to deliver a final blow. But do not take forever. I am not one to let my patience endure for long. See to it that you do not test it.”

“Understood, Prince.” Kyoko gives a deferential bow before walking away. With a steady pace down the halls from the throne room, she makes a turn to see a very tall figure standing at the doorway to her private quarters.

“Hm...Silver Knight. To what do I owe this honor?”

The knight-armored dragonkin turns to her, his voice echoing inside the armor as he steps aside to allow her access. “Lady Kyoko. Word has spread of your 'mixed success' with the previous mission. I wish to know of what you intend to do next.”

Kyoko gives a nonplussed blink, gesturing for Silver Knight to follow her inside her room. The giant ducks in after Kyoko enters, and shuts the door behind them before kneeling and bowing their head. Kyoko takes a moment to make herself comfortable in a lounging seat before addressing the dragonkin.

“My Knight, as you know, I always ensure you are privy to my thoughts.”, she says with an amused tone. “When I deem it acceptable. Which is most of the time, ufufufufufu~”

The dragonkin's tail twitches and shivers a little bit as the fae kitsune laughs.

“You are very loyal, darling. Do not fret for your Lady. In fact...I have need of you for this current attack plan I have. I do not expect it to be a resounding success, but I do anticipate finding out some more about the Rangers and who they associate with. But for that, I need to draw them out more often and trip them up. And that is where you come in.”

“What is thy desire, My Lady?” Silver Knight seems to kneel even further in a display of supplication.

“Ufufufufufu~ Eager~ Excellent. Then I shall let you take charge of the attack I have in mind. And when it fails, you will take responsibility for it, darling~ I don't think you'd mind that, though. Daresay you'll be capable of coming up with a feasible means of ensuring that the fallout doesn't affect my long-term plans.” Kyoko smirks, giving a dismissive wave of her hand, and Silver Knight rises and takes his leave.

6:35 that evening...

A young Japanese man had stepped out from his lodgings on the campus of Cold Iron's state college, taking a ride to midtown in anticipation of a major announcement regarding one of his favorite past times. The collectible card game, Fantasy Commander, was one that was popular world-wide, played in over a dozen different countries. It had recently gained steam through a free online game as well as from livestreams of major regional and national championships, and it showed no signs of stopping. Thus, the biggest hobby store in this region of Illinois was hosting a celebration tournament in time with the maker of the game announcing the next round of regional championships that would be held, as well as the newest expansion.

At twenty years old, Tetsuya Urashima had been well-versed with the game and its major developments for years. He had distinguished himself as the champion of the Japanese National Tournament for the card game at the age of fifteen. Sadly, he was eliminated from that year's World Championship during qualifiers, but he had always planned on making a return after he was out on his own. Moving to the United States after graduating high school had been a dream of his, especially after finding out that the city one of his cousins lived in, Cold Iron, was gaining renown for its mechanical engineering programs. While Tetsuya did have a fascination with such a subject, one that his parents were more than eager to support, his passion was card games.

A memory flitted through his mind while he sat on the campus transit as he recalled an event six years ago, when his cousin Wendy caught him playing Fantasy Commander with some friends. At that point in time, she showed a greater interest in martial arts than anything else, and Tetsuya's father had shown a great deal of interest in training her while she and her family spent the year living with their relatives. He was worried that she might mock him and his friends, but while she showed some initial disinterest, one of the decks his friends was playing caught her eye: a deck based around a more fantasy-oriented take on martial arts.

It took a few matches for Wendy to get the rules of the game, and each loss became less of her getting completely hammered by Tetsuya's own deck and more her inexperience with the tactics involved in playing the deck she had borrowed. But after a month, Tetsuya was surprised at how good she had gotten with the game. The only problem was that she was extremely competitive, and a play that brought about a sudden loss when she was certain she had a victory caused her to grow angry and scatter the deck Tetsuya had made for her at that point. She apologized later, but things were awkward between them after that, and they didn't speak much about Tetsuya's interests or interact beyond what was expected of them.

...save for the fact that when Wendy was about to leave, she requested one last match. She lost, but it was a close two-to-one match. Wendy simply gave a smile that time, clearly letting go of her frustration. She shrugged and handed the deck back to Tetsuya as a promise to play him again sometime in the future.

“Well, we'll have that rematch soon, cousin.”, he grinned. Not too long after, he sent her an email with a list of links to some of the new rulings and some deck archetypes he thought might catch her eye, with the header titled 'Let's have that rematch soon'. He stepped off the bus as he reached his stop in midtown Cold Iron, and it was a short walk to the hobby shop 'Zok!'. He knew it was a reference to something that those into pop culture and comics knew, but he wasn't aware of where it came from. Nonetheless, he went inside to see nearly a hundred people milling around the warehouse-sized store, most of which were gathered near the large number of tables that had been set up for major tournaments.

“Alright everyone! Gather 'round!” The store owner, a man in his forties who looked a little heavyset but not too worse for wear, stood up on one of the tables. “I got an email from on high regarding the major announcements and FC-Fest. First order of business: the Convention Center is a go!”

Most of those gathered around cheered, dropping some profanity in celebration.

“Yeah, seems like the PD and suits are done checking out that weird business that happened a week ago. While there will be some elevated security, Sorcerer's Guild has been okayed to run the Illinois State Championship at the Convention Center. As such, expect a LOT of reps from Sorcerer's Guild to be there, as well as maybe some local media coverage. Oh, and it'll be live-streamed, so I don't want to see any regulars from here doing any stupid pop-offs or causing trouble, otherwise your ass is banned from this establishment. Got me?”

Some laughter and murmurs were heard among the crowd, with a few yelling out “Welcome to try, old man!” or “There goes your business!”

“Hey, I'm just saying, you act like a jackass, it looks bad on me, so expect consequences. By the way, format is Type A, so forget about running decks over fifty cards. Now, second order of business: the Illinois State Championship is also having a small Fantasy Commander convention running at the same time as part of FC-Fest, also ran by Sorcerer's Guild. I say 'small', but the entire convention center is going to be completely in Sorcerer's Guild's hands for two days. Lots of cosplayers, demos for newbies, live-streaming of what's going on, you get the point. On top of that, they've got some tech they're going to show off for the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Finals. S'posed to be some kind of holographic tech like in that one anime.”

“What, you serious?”, a voice yells out.

“I'm not funnin' you, Greg, this is for real. They're going to have a small-scale demo during FC-Fest, but they're rolling out the big guns for day two when the best of you throw down. Third and final thing: the qualifiers and FC-Fest start tomorrow.”

That got the room in an uproar, and Tetsuya couldn't believe what he was hearing. So soon? Usually Sorcerer's Guild gave the announcement of a major tournament a couple of weeks before it was held. Maybe it was that business with those strange people and the sentai-wannabes. Although that was reported as all being real. But...that didn't seem possible...

“Everyone calm down! Chances are that the retailers got the notifications last, anyway! Anyone in and out of city who participated in SG-sanctioned tournaments recently have likely already been notified. That said, expect a lot of traffic if you plan on going. If you haven't participated in a sanctioned tournament yet, and you plan on going into the qualifiers, come up here and we'll get the process going. I'll keep this place open until midnight if I have to. And on that note...I'm offering sixty percent off all boosters, forty off all structure decks and sets, and thirty off all singles, tonight only!”

That got the crowd's mood in good spirits, and some cheering was heard as most of the crowd took advantage of the sales. Tetsuya got in line to register alongside some thirty people, and once he was done, he felt fairly exhausted.

“Hey there. Your name looked a little familiar.” A woman's voice was heard, and Tetsuya turned to his left to see a pretty blonde with long hair past her shoulders, wearing glasses, a sleeved shirt with the words “Decked Out” in a stylized font depicted with cards scattered into the air, and jeans that hugged her thighs a little before opening up towards the bottom.

“Oh...uh...” Tetsuya paused, blinking a little as he tried to think of what to say. The woman was definitely attractive, causing a slight blush to appear on his face as he brushed some hair out of his vision nervously. Should he tell her? Or would that be bragging? He wasn't the kind of person to do that, not to mention this woman kind of came out of nowhere to talk to him.

“Hang on.”, she said, gesturing for him to follow her to a less crowded spot in the large store. With a nod, he followed, taking note of her brilliant blue eyes.

“Okay, this seems like a decent place. Your name was Tetsuya Urashima, right?” She brought out her phone, doing a search for his name among notable players. Tetsuya grimaced, knowing she'd find out about him, probably calling everyone to check out a former champion. He wasn't really in the mood for that...

“Oh!” Her eyes widened as she glanced up to him, checking to see if she had the right person. Then her smile widened, and she lowered her phone. “Cool. So you're a former national champion? Don't worry, I'm not here to make a crowd around you. I actually follow the game pretty closely, been doing so for years. Though I've never actually participated in a tournament. I'm mostly interested in casual play....but I've been thinking I could give this tournament a try.”

Wait...she just wanted to talk about the game? Where was she going with this?

“I...uh...well, since you're a pro, I was wondering if you might try your luck against this deck I put together. Just to see if I'm up to snuff. If I can put up a decent fight against a pro, I figure my chances of getting into Day 2 are good, right?”

Tetsuya blinked a moment. Then smiled, letting out a little laugh. “I...see. Yes, I'd be up for a game, but if you want to see how well you'd do, you're going to have to give it your all against me. I've been keeping up on my game through the online version, and using what money I have on the side to get what I need for a strong deck in the current meta.”

The blonde nods, grinning back with a winning, brilliant smile that was almost as beautiful as her eyes. “Sounds like a plan. Oh...how about spicing things up? If I win...you'll grant any one request I ask of you. Sounds good?”

Was she for real? Tetsuya blushed a little brighter, starting to let the pretty blonde get to his head.

“Then...if I win, you'll go out on a date with me?” It was testing the waters. He hoped it wasn't too aggressive. Please, don't let him be reading her wrong...

“Sure!”, she smiled. ...he almost didn't believe his ears, but her hand was extended. With a big grin, he shook her hand to make the deal, feeling a brief moment of coldness pass before the normal amount of warmth was felt. That was weird...

“Okay, this way!” Off to an unoccupied table, where they shuffled, cut each others' decks, then drew their hands before placing their commanders. Tetsuya's commander was a sleek metallic cybernetic warrior, denoting that his deck was likely to run a number of different humanoid robots and cyborgs. A more futuristic-themed Fantasy Commander deck, one that specialized in bringing out stronger support unit creatures through Amalgamation, alongside a number of support cards to cover weaknesses.

“My name is Kendra.”, the blonde said, bringing out her commander. It was an icy, elegant-looking woman made of crystallized ice, clad in opaque, glimmering robes.

“That's...an interesting pick for a casual player. T'shamle the Maiden of Frost. I'm guessing you're running a control deck?”, he asked.

“In a sense~” Kendra giggled. They flipped a coin to see who would go first, with Tetsuya getting the first draw. Draw phase ended, then came Initialization, which was basically an upkeep phase where a player's commander gained additional Command Power after a player's first turn. Then Primary Phase, where he played a support creature that was within the cost of his Commander's CP.

“With my Commander, Databreak the Cyber-Revolutionary's CP at three, I bring out the support unit Cyber-Revolutionary Initiate for a cost of two, then play the support card Link-Boost to increase its power by one, making its total power at three. Databreak's effect kicks in, making all support units who share Databreak's Earth element immune to your support card effects until my next turn, since he used all his Charisma this turn.” Standard rules dictated that you had to say aloud what plays you were making so it would be easier for both your opponent and any nearby judges to follow the plays. Some advanced players would try to catch each other for discrepancies in what plays they said they were making to force a judge to spectate.

“That's all I can do this turn. I pass my Secondary Phase, and go to End Turn.”

Kendra smirked. She drew, going through the same phases. “T'shamle's Charisma is four, so I'll bring out two Frost Wyrmlings.”

Damn, he knew what move she was making. A competitive T'shamle deck typically ran two types of play: speedy Amalgamation, and control. Kendra was running a deck around Amalgamation, like he was. The problem was that his deck ran the elements of Earth and Dark, which were based around different ideas of powering up, while Kendra was playing a meta deck that was pure Water. Water liked being tricky with lockdown while bringout out low cost support units to Amalgamate for stronger creatures at a reduced cost.

“I'll Amalgamate the two Frost Wyrmlings...” She removed them, sending the two to the discard pile. “And then summon Twin-Headed Frost Serpent. Its power is three, and it gets to attack twice.”

“It's the same power as my Initiate, though. You can't attack without destroying both support creatures.”, he added. It was an obvious point, unless Kendra had something else in mind. T'shamle was tricky, but it required a lot more disciplined deck construction, and a bit of luck, to pull off a quick control of the match.

“You're right. But why did you think I left T'shamle with two Command Points remaining?”, she smirked. She didn't draw into that, no way. That card was restricted to one, and the odds were one in seven of getting that in her opening hand...but if she had it...

“First, I activate T'shamle's Command ability: once per either of our turns, I can target one of my support units with 'Frost', 'Ice', or 'Snow' in its name, and that unit cannot be destroyed during Combat. Entering Combat now. I attack with Twin-Headed Frost Serpent to destroy your Initiate.”

Tetsuya sent his Initiate to the discard pile, and Kendra followed up with a second attack that reduced Databreak's twenty-five hit points by three.

“Now to my Secondary Phase. I use T'shamle's remaining CP to play the permanent support card 'Beguilement of Soft Snow'. As long as I only have Water element support units and a Water element Commander in play, I can add the name 'Snow' to any support unit played and change its element to Water, during either of our turns. That's it for me~”

Tetsuya cursed his luck. Getting that out first turn meant that, if Kendra had THAT card next turn, she could control the match completely. He had to hope he could pull something out now that could give him an edge. Maybe if he got an Earth element support unit with a power of four... He drew, no luck, all his other support units were dark and the highest one was at power three. Databreak's Charisma went up by one, like all Commanders do during Initialization, so he had four points to work with. However, his support cards were a cost of two Charisma or more, and they wouldn't be effective with anything below three power. He couldn't make a defensive play, just draw things out...

“I always wondered what it would be like for my opponent's units to be affected by this special card...”, Kendra mused, fingering 'Beguilement of Soft Snow' while she smirked. “Covered by a thin sheen of the softest snow. Every inch. Just enough to see who is under, but not enough to not lightly obscure who they were. How does it feel? Cottony? Perhaps silky smooth, soft like the finest fabrics...and they are beguiled, so perhaps they're relishing how it feels~?”

That got a blush from Tetsuya. They...they were just cards. Who cared about that? In fact, what kind of weirdo thought about that? “I'll play Battle-caste Cyborg. It has a power of three.”

“Oh, good card. Any Battle-caste support unit boosts other Battle-caste. But now it's affected by my beguiling snow~ Hello Battle-caste Snow Cyborg~”, Kendra teased.

“Could you-” He wanted to tell her to stop...but the sudden change in behavior, the more flirtatious way she was acting...well, he kind of liked it. “...never mind. I'll end my turn.”

“My turn then!” Kendra chipperly drew, and T'shamle's Charisma went up to five. She could make bigger plays, now. “Ohh...you're not going to like this...~”

She didn't...she didn't just draw that card...

“I'll use all of my commander's Charisma to play the permanent support 'Oath of Fealty to the Court of Winter'. I can only play this when all cards I control are Water element. Any Water element support unit with 'Snow', 'Ice', or 'Frost' in its name that is on the field has control of it given to me, and any support unit with 'Snow', 'Ice', or 'Frost' in its name on my side of the field has its power increased by two.”

Just like that, Kendra had complete control of the field. Control of his Cyborg. Control over combat. The only way he could turn this around is if he could get a support card that could destroy 'Oath'. But he wasn't likely to get that chance...

“Now...my Snow Cyborg. Attack your former commander~”

Databreak lost five more hit points, bringing him down to seventeen.

“Then my delightful Twin-Headed Frost Serpent will attack twice~”

That brought Databreak down to seven hit points. Tetsuya was two attacks away from a loss. He need to draw something good.

“Such loyal subjects, aren't they? Obedient to the call of the Court. Entirely filled with snow, at the command of the Court of Winter. Do you think they can feel the fear that they felt before? Or is there nothing but complete obedience to their new masters~? That ends my turn~”

He drew. But Initialization didn't matter. He just drew a support unit with five power. It was an Earth element, but...it was a turn too late. There was a look of bitterness on his face as he accepted defeat.

“I surrender this round.”, he said, and Kendra smiled widely.

“That means I win.”, she said matter-of-factly. “And you have to grant any one request I ask.”

“Y-yeah, that was the arrangement, but you still have to win another round-”, he started to protest.

“Ah-ah. You never said anything about playing a match. Just 'a game'.”, Kendra corrected him, and Tetsuya had to go through his mind to recall.

“Ah...oh...yeah, I did say that. But I meant a match-”, he answered, before he was cut off again.

“If you meant that, then you should've said it. Don't you know that you should never make a loosely-worded deal with a Fae?”, she smiled. He blinked in surprise at that, unsure what she meant or if he was hearing things.

“What do you mean a F-” Tetsuya wouldn't get to finish his sentence.

“My request is for you to be utterly subservient to my will.”, she answered with finality. His voice stopped, and he...felt cold. Snow, ice, frost, fog, all of it crept into his heart and soul. He felt himself consumed by the cold, wrapped in a blanket that froze his thoughts and compelled him to serve. His eyes flashed an icy blue as he fell under Kendra's power. “Do you obey?”

“Utterly and completely.”, he said in a dispassionate voice.

“Pick up your cards and deck, and follow me, Tetsuya.”, she commanded. He obeyed.

End of Chapter 4


	8. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Card Game Tourney mini-arc continues!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 5: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 2

The next day...

Wendy didn't think that Tetsuya was still playing that card game from five years ago, so she was surprised when she opened up an email from him in the morning, finding that he had sent her links to various websites devoted to Fantasy Commander. Among them was a meta-current build of the deck she had taken a shining to back in Japan, as well as strategies of other competitive decks. She took the time to look through a database, checking out the cards that belonged to the deck she favored all those years ago, as well as checking out summaries of the strengths and weaknesses of said archetype's current competitive build.

She had to give a chuckle: leave it to Tetsuya to find something oddball for them to potentially talk about. This was his way of passing a topic of conversation to Wendy before they met.

“I was going to do a bit of light training...but I think I can make an exception today.”, she smiled. Wendy spent roughly two hours checking out the links sent to her through the email, and only stopped because she had her fill of staring at her smartphone screen without a break. Conveniently, there was an hour and a half left before the appointed time, so she decided to do a local search on news regarding the Fantasy Commander game.

“...Illinois State Championship starts today? Geez, 'suya, you trying to get me wrapped up in this, or just bring me as moral support?” Wendy shook her head in amusement and got a feeling that the day itself might go in a different direction than she had planned as she made her way out.

At the Cold Iron Convention Center...

Lines of around eight hundred people had formed outside of the convention center as it opened its doors at eleven in the morning. The staff was ready for a long day ahead, and the representatives from the game company Sorcerer's Guild had prepared themselves as best they could. They had raised some concerns about the elevated security presence, but they didn't press matters due to the unique circumstances that had occurred a week prior. Besides, having increased security did help in dealing with the occasional argument or rare fist fight that would break out. There was also the matter of FC-Fest, which had a host of professional cosplayers participating alongside contracted models to advertise the game. The security presence would ensure that those who might be emboldened to try and harass said cosplayers and models would think twice.

“Attention all convention center attendees!”, a voice rang out over the speakers. “Those who are participating in the Illinois State Championship and have not received advanced passes, please follow the signs that will direct you towards registration for the Qualifiers and have entry fees ready. We expect to begin the first rounds of Qualifiers around two to two-thirty in the afternoon, so please do not put off registration! Once you are registered to participate, you'll be given a pass that allows you access to every area that is open to tourney participants.”

A good two hundred people, predominantly male but with some female entrants, milled and made their way towards where they could register. Additional instructions were droned out as they marched on: it was planned for FC-Fest to begin in half an hour for those who had their passes already on hand, and there were more staff on hand to deal with the FC-Fest crowds to speed up that line.

Inside, final checks were being made on equipment, with tests on the streams and communication with major hosting sites maintained to ensure that the events would be given the promotion that Sorcerer's Guild paid for. Among those present were media personnel from local stations and regional communications providers, who were prepping for broadcasts later in the day for the afternoon and evening news. This included RBS, and Beverly Holmes was keeping a low profile as technicians and a few commentators and reporters were standing by.

Compelled by Kyoko's influence, Beverly had brought along people who had been influenced by the Fae, controlled to obey as the FIF spread their influence through RBS. A few among them were already Fae-touched, though the influence was kept minimal to avoid detection, while the rest were simply enthralled to obey those Fae-touched and what Fae soldiers were higher up in the chain of command. Regardless of whether this plan succeeded or failed in gaining a foothold for the Fae, manipulation of public opinion and perception was paramount: the Rangers needed to be pushed to their limit if they wanted even a slight chance of a victory when they skirmished. Having Silver Knight assist her in this plan and play a scapegoat for Tethas was a means to that end.

FC-Fest opened, and the stream began with a hearty welcome from the commentators hired by Sorcerer's Guild, who were avid fans of Fantasy Commander themselves. One, a cute brunette named Holly Williams, was joined by a former U.S. Champion, Jamal Thompson. Introductions were made, and a pan shot of the new tech displays and hired cosplayers lined up on stage in front of a crowd of four hundred.

“It's already starting to be a decent showing for FC-Fest in Cold Iron, folks!” Jamal flashed a smile towards the camera. “We're already nearing one thousand people in attendance for both FC-Fest and the Illinois State Championship qualifiers, and we expect to have that doubled within the next two hours.”

Holly jumped on, not missing a beat due to a teleprompter behind the camera. “Some of the best in the state will be participating, and we even have people from out of state and outside of the U.S. joining, as the Illinois State Championship is one of the last regional tournaments to be held before the U.S. Championship. It's a mere four months between now and the Fantasy Commander World Championship, so those who didn't make it past qualifiers in other regions or missed the boat overseas have one of their last shots today and tomorrow!”

“This is true, and we've already gotten some noteworthy local celebrities on hand, not to mention rumors of a couple of former champions from other countries who have registered to join.”, Jamal added. “We're now going to have a look at the other end of the Cold Iron Convention Center, where they're setting up for the qualifying rounds. Let's see if we can't get some word from the players themselves on what kinds of metas we can expect.”

The stream then reduced the size of the broadcast with Holly and Jamal, shrinking it and moving it to the right-hand corner as a second broadcast from where the Qualifiers were being held awaited the viewers. Another correspondent began speaking, standing in front of several dozen players who were running practice matches to decide what to swap in and out, when a rapid series of events began to occur. Thirty people playing those practice matches had their eyes glow an icy blue, gaining impish grins on their faces while some members of security turned into Fae soldiers and activated relics that froze up all entrances and exits. Panic began to take hold as bone-chilling ice eliminated all avenues of escape, and the Fae soldiers herded almost a thousand people into the Convention Center proper through intimidation.

It was then that a ten-foot armored figure wielding a massive halberd on its back appeared, sporting dragon wings and a tail.

“Is this some kind of stunt?” “Then why the hell are the exits blocked?!” “Dude, it's got to be those crazy things from a week ago! Those are the same goons as before!”

Once everyone was accounted for by nearly a hundred armed and armored Fae soldiers, the armored figure stepped onto the main stage and took a microphone.

“Greetings, Humes.” Silver Knight's voice echoed further, distorted by the speakers yet still intelligible. “If you are wondering who I am...who these armored figures are, and why the doors are iced up to bar all entry and exit...we are the Fae Invasion Forces. We are the ones who successfully infiltrated among your own kind last week, in an attempt to turn this center into a focal point for turning your world into our own, and your people into ours.”

Those players who were enthralled by Kyoko's efforts the days prior began to step up on stage, numbering fifty strong from the victories gained from the practice matches as they passed along a curse. The RBS technicians took their cue and began to broadcast the events live online, as Kyoko fed into Beverly's fear to make her slink away, only to assert control and manifest once Beverly was out of sight. She made her way back to where she had been when Fairy Fabulous made her grand debut just a week prior, and was met with more Fae soldiers manning controls and maintaining a perimeter.

“Good to see that things were even easier than before, ufufufufu~” She held a hand to cover her lips as she chortled haughtily. “Time for Silver Knight to pick up from last week. Converting this space should be even easier now that we already have some of the humes under our control~”

Indeed, as those players began murmuring their desires to abandon their humanity and join the Fae, the impact of the broadcast from Alda Sartori's botched fashion show was made apparent: the Convention Center itself began to take in that ice that blocked the exits and turn steadily into a wintry fortress.

“Those who doubt our power, or dismiss us, know this: you are in grave error.”, Silver Knight intoned. “Cold Iron Convention Center is now ours, as are some of the people inside. The rest will soon join them. But we are not so unkind as to not give you an opportunity to prove yourselves worthy of repelling us. We of the Fae Invasion Forces have our own take on Fantasy Commander that we would enjoy playing with you.” Silver Knight then drew his halberd, planting the blade down deep into the stage to create a field of authority, from which all those within its radius would be affected by.

“The rules of this tourney: the format will be the same as in last year's Fantasy Commander World Championships, with current rulings and errata to allow for new strategies and deck compositions. And now for the fun parts. Those among you whom we have determined to be the top sixteen players who still have free will will play against the top sixteen players currently on stage who are now representatives of the FIF. IF one of you who are free-willed win the final round, you will have the honor of playing against the Fae's champion. Come out, dear.”

Suddenly, in a whirl of ice and snow, a curvaceous figure appeared. She was decorated with glowing blue lines along her arms, legs, torso, and cheeks, and her skin was a porcelain white. In fact, all of her was porcelain white, making her look like an artificial humanoid out of a sci-fi opera. Tossing her long, electric blue hair to the side, she grinned to those in the convention center and watching on stream.

“Hiiiii everyone! I'm the Fae Invasion Forces' Fantasy Commander champion! Former Japanese champion, now a Fae-kin built for beating silly humes at children's card games! My formal name is Series T-SU y-A, but you can call me Tsuya! Hehe~”

“So you've made a hot Japanese robot to fight us? This has got to be a joke...”, someone called out from the crowd.

“She was once one of you, but we have blessed her with perfection. Free of worry, aging, death, and hunger. We offer the same to those humes who join us. Of course, this offer is non-negotiable.” The smugness in Silver Knight's voice was palpable. “Which brings me to the most important rules of all. If a free-willed human can defeat our champion, everyone we have enthralled and turned to our side, including our champion, will be released from our hold.”

“Booo, why would you want to do that to me?” Tsuya pretends to cry. “I mean, no death, no need to eat, and you look as cute as me? Who wouldn't jump at that opportunity?”

“I know, dear.”, Silver Knight chuckled. “But let's let the humes have their shot, as unlikely to succeed as it is.” He turned back to the crowd, continuing. “However, those who are free-willed who lose to one of our own will...shall we say, be joining the winning player.”

“So you're going to brainwash us or something?” Another voice called out. “What, did you want to control crowds of card game players for something? We're civilians!”

“Nothing is wasted among the Fae. Those who would think they have no merit or ability can be reborn into what they desire the most. Or what others desire from them.”, Silver Knight growled. “The next among you to interrupt me will see first-hand what that entails.” That threat caused a deathly silence to fall over the crowd. “Good. As I said, those who are free-willed who lose to one of our representatives will join them. I'll leave how as a surprise. Ah, and one more thing: if the champion wins, or no one free-willed is able to play against our players and work their way up to the champion to beat her, you all will be affected by the conceptual conversion of this space, and turned into Fae-kin. And!”

He moved over to one of the female cosplayers who had been cowering behind the stage, effortlessly pulling her up by the arm onto stage. With a slap upside her rear, she moaned and glowed, turning into a curvy yet athletically-built woman with gold and silver sparkles and pointed ears. She sported powder-white scales along her outer arms, legs, along her back, and covering her breasts, with draconic-looking horns framing her face. Claws, feet, and matching wings and tail finished up her new look. The new fae-dragon girl turned around to show off a dully glowing sigil on her right ass-cheek that she proudly displayed.

“Every twenty minutes, I will pick one hume at random to turn into one of my personal concubines. As you can see, I have a preference, so if you don't want to be my cooing harem-bride, you'd better win fast.”

With a snap of his fingers, sixteen of the enthralled players turned into Fae-kin as well, themed off of the decks they would be playing.

“The Tournament of Will begins now.”

Five minutes before The Tournament of Will's start...

“Okay, where the hell is he?” Even after arriving about ten minutes late and getting in a crowded line to order lunch, Wendy didn't see any sign of her cousin. She was expecting Tetsuya to be waiting for her, probably with his stomach growling a little and ready to give her a passive-aggressive ribbing. The lack of her cousin's presence at first concerned her, but then she realized he might have ditched her for that tournament. Or maybe this was all to get her to come and watch him play? That train of thought didn't really seem like him.

“nngh... whatever. I'll eat my lunch, then head over there. Chances are that they'll have his name on file if he went there...” A few bites of thigh meat later, her morpher beeped. She had to quickly cover the device with her hand to mute its sound, and ran into the restroom. Silently praying there was no one there, she lucked out upon finding the women's restroom was empty and locked the door behind her. It was a single room with the toilet next to the sink, offering privacy at the expense of only allowing one person at a time. She brought out the device in time to see a small projection of Katherine contacting her.

“Good, you're there.” Katherine looked a little harried, and what she said next explained why. “The FIF made a move again, and you won't believe this: they've hijacked the Convention Center again, and are doing the exact same thing as before.”

“What?!” Wendy caught herself after her exclamation, lowering her voice. “Just now?! How come we didn't get any advance notification?”

“Dr. Bohra believes this attempt was quickly put together, and...well, maybe because of what happened when they attacked it last time, the Convention Center is firmly in their control.”, Katherine replied. “What's more, there's a little over one thousand civilians caught this time... honestly, it'd be better to meet in person and get the details from Dr. Bohra. Take it from me, though, this one is an odd case even for what we've dealt with thus far.”

“There's another issue, Katherine.” Wendy swallowed hard. She was unsure if it was wise to tell Project MTR about her family, but if things were as bad as she feared, Tetsuya was already involved. “My cousin from overseas has been living here for the past few years, and he's a big fan of the card game that the Convention Center is hosting.”

“Wait, how do you-” Katherine was cut off as Dr. Bohra's image interrupted the transmission.

“Urashima. Rendezvous with the rest of the team outside of the Convention Center now. You can inform me of your connection with the events unfolding there when the team is assembled. There's no point in discretion anymore; our focus is containment and neutralization of the FIF's efforts.”

“Not even a 'Miss Urashima' that time, huh? She must be serious.”, Wendy thought. “Understood. I'll be there soon.”

Wendy had managed to find a safe place to morph into MagiTech Black on route to the convention center, and as she arrived she found the rest of the team waiting for her, along with throngs of people and camera crews being blocked off by the police.

Patricia had an amused tone to her voice as she took in the controlled chaos. “Media got here fast. So, you think they're hijacking the stream again?”

“That's exactly what's going on.”, Katherine replied. “Same method as last time, but they're far more successful this time around. Project Command has managed to get national transmission of what's going on inside cut, but local coverage is still uninterrupted. Suffice to say, those who are currently watching without any sort of protection from whatever the Fae are using are 'positively enthralled'.”

Although her helmet hid her expression, Tina's voice relayed her concern. “That's not good. The effects are that widespread? How are they doing that?” It was at that time that Dr. Bohra's voice came on over their communication channel.

“We're researching a means to counteract the FIF's efforts as we speak. We believe that due to their command over conceptual power, they're able to influence the transmission of these broadcasts to have an underlying hypnotic effect, which is paired with a subliminal effect that is meant to indoctrinate people into surrendering to the Fae.” Before anyone on the team could comment on this, she added, “Now, Miss Urashima. I understand that you've been in contact with your cousin, and that he's a former champion-level player of the game that was being hosted at the convention center today. Tetsuya Urashima.”

Dr. Bohra's pointed statements were meant to put Wendy on the spot, as well as to showcase the kinds of resources Project Command had to investigate and assess. “Yeah.” Wendy clenched her jaw. “I think my cousin is in there. What's the point of this?”

“We haven't physically identified anyone matching Tetsuya Urashima's profile among those civilians.”, Dr. Bohra said. “Granted, there are a little over a thousand people in there, and the cameras are keeping to certain angles to prevent those who are not participating in this so-called 'Tournament of Will' from appearing on camera. Considering your cousin's history, however, I find it suspect that he isn't among those being featured in these matches.”

Wendy felt a sick sensation in the pit of her stomach. “What are you saying?”

“It is probable that the Fae-kin champion of this tournament, calling herself Tsuya, is your cousin.” Wendy blinked, having to take a couple of seconds longer to register what Dr. Bohra just said. But once that weight was felt, she knew. That was her cousin.

“If it's that fox bitch running this show, I'm going to blast her.”, Wendy growled.

“There's no sign of the Fae known as Kyoko, but that doesn't mean she's not present.”, Tina interjected. “Instead, we've got someone different: a ten-foot tall guy in silver high fantasy armor sporting dragon wings and a tail. He calls himself Silver Knight, and he's already turned two civilians into his... well, I'm going to stop there, that's not important.”

“So we kick his ass.”, Wendy retorted. “I don't care who he is or who he's turning into ditzy bimbos, we get in there and rock them.”

“It's not that simple, I'm afraid.” Now it was Chetana's turn to speak. “Right at the start, Silver Knight did something. We believe it's an enforced geas field of some kind that prevents those inside the field from hostile actions.”

“So they've got us beat? Or do we have a way to undo what they're doing?” Patricia crossed her arms, unsure where Chetana was going with this.

“...we may have to beat them by playing in their tournament.”, Chetana summarized.

“You mean...it's time to duel?!” The mirth in Patricia's voice was palpable, and everyone glared at her, causing her to raise her hands in apology.

“Okay...so we're going to need to get in there and either undo the geas field, or fight Silver Knight on the terms he's outlined.” Tina sighed and shook her head. “These Fae sure know how to complicate things.”

“But first, we need to actually get in there.”, Katherine added. “All the entrances are blocked, and especially so after the convention center turned into this.” She gestured, and the team fully took in the sight of a glistening ice crystal-themed fortress. The gates were barred, and the walls were too high to scale without equipment. However, emergency responders were too afraid to take a chance of trying to scale the walls.

“I guess it's an invitation-only tournament.”, Patricia quipped.

“Negative.” Dr. Bohra spoke up again. “We've managed to create rudimentary protections against the interlaced signals. What we've seen is concerning, but also gives us a means of entering. Only a few of the players who have not been enthralled made it to the semi-final rounds, although we were unable to see what became of those who lost due to cutaways from the resolution of those matches. But what we have learned is that Silver Knight has extended the challenge to you.”

“...wait, us?” Wendy blinked incredulously. “They want us to compete? Why not an easy win?”

“We've beaten them three times now.”, Tina chuckled. “They want payback in a big way.”

“That seems to be the case. If anything, these Fae have something to prove. You can use that to your advantage.”, Dr. Bohra added. As the team approached the gates, they swung open for their entry, while a force field repelled everyone else.

“Team. If you're going in there, you should know: there's a great deal of fear inside and outside.” Dr. Bohra was being uncharacteristically concerned, which caught all but Chetana off-guard. “I think it would give some confidence to the civilians outside if you made a short declaration of your intent for victory.”

“Ah, yeah...good point.” Patricia seemed the most surprised of all, but she turned to Tina, as did the others. “Well, leader lady? You going to fire up the crowd? You've got the chops for it.”

With a nod, Tina turned to the crowd, the gates framed around the team as they joined her.

“Citizens of Cold Iron City. Up until now, we've fought with the intent of maintaining secrecy. A silent war against those who are invading our city to take what is not theirs. But that time has passed. The enemy is brazen, changing our city and people utterly and completely to suit their whims. As such, we are now stepping out of the shadows to fight the Fae Invasion Forces in plain sight.”

She clenched a fist, holding it in front of her with a determined pose. “We are just like you, normal people, who were fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to serve this city with technology and power that is beyond your imagination! We have the means to fight the Fae face-to-face, and win! We've won three times already, and we have no intention of letting our streak stop there! We are the MagiTech Rangers, guardians of Cold Iron, a force of good, and protectors of the free will and security of all humanity! Sound off!”

A split second of hesitation was followed by an enthusiastic roll-call.

“Cool under pressure, a calculating mind, I am the tactician of the MagiTech Rangers. MagiTech Green!”

“Here to aid those who are harmed, and to protect those who would be harmed! MagiTech Blue!”

“A perky powerhouse! MagiTech Yellow!”

“Tch! You won't get an introduction from me. Just know that I intend to make those Fae pay. MagiTech Black.”

“Squadron leader, combining stoicism and heart! I am MagiTech Red!”

“And we are the MagiTech Rangers! Fae? No way! We're here to save the day!”

The crowd was in stunned silence.

“Alright, now get inside, this is too embarrassing.”, Wendy muttered.

Tina nodded. “Agreed. Let's just go before they laugh at us.”

As they entered, the team had their guards up in anticipation of a surprise attack. Their expectations were subverted, as they were met with Fae soldiers standing at attention, lined up in a procession formation along the halls in a clear show of pointing the Rangers in the right direction.

“Cocky bastards, aren't they?”, Wendy growled. She had the itch to hit them as a matter of course, but she held herself back. There was no point in instigating a fight that would drain them when they were there to save people.

They found themselves entering a grand auditorium, with countless civilians in the rafters who were either utterly enthralled or too afraid to make an attempt at participating in the tournament. In the middle stood an imposing figure, enjoying the company of three draconic-looking women who cooed and flaunted their bodies for him.

“I see you're finally here, Rangers. It took you long enough. I just added a third to my harem, and I daresay, I like the pearl white lipstick and icy blue eye shadow that I recommended them to preen themselves with.” Silver Knight had a mocking tone, and the draconic beauties simply posed themselves on him, draping on or nuzzling him.

“Bastard. How about you come here and we'll see how far I can shove your head up your ass.” Wendy was fuming, innocent people were being used like arm candy for his amusement.

“Try as you might, you've entered this field of influence. There will be no combat. But you will have an opportunity to defeat me.”, he replied. “As you're aware, you've been invited to join the tournament. I will give you twenty minutes to construct a deck of your choosing, or to pick a deck that is considered top tier. You may go over the rules among yourselves, but do not expect a tutorial from me. I am a gracious host, but I will not bend over backwards if my enemy finds themselves on an uneven playing field.”

Enthralled players lined up, setting down their decks as magical labels sprang into the air to denote what kind of decks they were. There was also an entire box full of boosters and structure decks if any of the Rangers wanted to swap cards out and construct their own decks.

“I know what I'm going for.”, Wendy said as she searched through the proper boosters and structure decks to make what she had in mind. There was only one deck for her, and one that would possibly reach out to whatever humanity Tetsuya had left. Katherine picked a pre-built deck belonging to one of the other players, but after looking through it, she traded out some cards. Tina, Patricia, and Chetana, having no knowledge of how the game was played, simply chose meta-build decks that looked the most promising.

After Wendy gave them a crash course in the rules of Fantasy Commander, surprising the other four a little, they were as prepared as they could be.

“So, who's playing against who?” Wendy was taking the lead on this one due to her experience with the game, as minimal as it was compared to Tetsuya's.

“Well, there are five of you, so I suppose you'll play against five of our best.”, Silver Knight mused. With a snap of his fingers, five of the group of sixteen stepped forward, all sexy women glittering with silver and gold sparkles, sporting pointed ears. One was dressed in an amazonian manner, wearing animal pelts and sporting a muscular build. Another was dressed up as a sexy red-headed witch with clothing that barely concealed her voluptuous body. The third was a brunette dressed up as a glitzed up 1920s-era femme fatale, sporting rare and expensive jewelry studded with rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones. The fourth was a woman with snow-white hair, icy blue skin, and sporting a kimono patterned after winter; her eyes glowed a vivid pale blue, prompting Wendy to mutter “Yuki-onna” under her breath. The fifth was a blonde armored woman wielding a sword, looking kind of like a knight of the round table.

One of the harem dragon-girls wheeled out a small bowl with slips of paper to Silver Knight's side, and he pulled one slip, then another with two fingers.

“The first round is MagiTech Red against Fae-me Fatale.”

The femme fatale with the rather punny name strutted forward, giving a smoky glance and a come-hither smile to Tina. “Pleasure is mine, Red. All mine~ And you'll be all mine soon~”

“Not happening.”, Tina retorted. She wasn't planning on having a repeat occurrence of something like what happened with Cheer Champion. She was going to win this.

“You'll find it rather convenient that this entire space is affected by my magic.”, Silver Knight mused. “It means that whatever you play will come to life. You'll see for yourselves soon enough. As challenger, you may choose who gets to go first, MagiTech Red.”

“Of course I'll go first.” Tina drew her hand, then began her first turn. The match was on.

End of Chapter 5


	9. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The card game tournament arc begins in earnest!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 6: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 3

“.....okay, now what?” Such was the thought that crossed Tina's mind as she looked over her cards, then at her commander, a woman wearing a bodice that bared some skin along with slim gauntlets and greaves, all gold and red-themed, and sporting vivid red hair in a ponytail. Her deck was an archetype around superheroes, albeit ones that were clearly original in design, called 'Team Unity'. Were they some sort of parody? Whatever the case, this deck had a unique mechanic of swapping commanders, and she figured that the tactical edge that made this deck a strong meta pick was one that would be useful to her. 

Her opening hand looked promising too: two copies of a permanent support card that would allow her to swap her commander for an attack support unit that could be a commander, at the cost of discarding a card from her hand. There was also an attack support card of an electricity-wielding woman, a card that gave a one-turn attack power boost, and another card that could return an attack support card to the hand at the cost of discarding a card. Tina wondered why you would need to return a card to the hand if it was already in play, and an attacker no less.

“Alright, my first move is to activate the permanent support card 'Team Leader Tag-in', which will allow me to swap my commander with an attack support card that can also be a commander, at the cost of discarding a card from my hand upon activating the effect.” Playing the cards led to a woosh of energy around her, and her commander appeared to her right in a ready stance, as if ready to sprint.

“I also play an attack support, 'Spark the Electromancer'. Her attack is at two.” The woman on the card appeared before her, hovering in place wearing a white blouse with a black skirt, short lilac hair, and electricity popping and sparking about her. Tina then checked what other moves she could make, and decided that was the best she could do for an opening turn. “Hyper Strike has a total Charisma of four this turn, so that's all I can do. Your turn.”

“Ohohohohoho~” The femme fatale gave a lilting, haughty laugh as she drew a card, and her commander appeared on the field on her right: an elegant, beautiful queen adorned with glittering jewelry embedded into her dress, as well as rings, a necklace, and a platinum white crown. “First, I will use three of Noble Queen Gemma's five Charisma Points to activate the card 'Today's Choice of Finery'. Once during each of my turns, after I draw, I can choose to return the card I just drew to my deck to retrieve a 'Noble Jewel' attack support card with an attack of three or less, and add it to my hand. Then I will use the other two Charisma Points Gemma has left this turn to play the support card 'Queen's Crown Jewels'. If I retrieve a 'Noble Jewel' attack support card using a support card effect, I can summon another 'Noble Jewel' attack support card at no cost~ And now...”

Fae-me Fatale grinned widely, and Tina could feel tension build. All this over a card game? Well, there were real stakes at play.

“I'll activate the effect of 'Today's Choice of Finery', returning the card I drew to my deck to retrieve a 'Nobel Jewel' attack support. I retrieve 'Nobel Jewel Amethyst' and play her at no cost! Her attack is at three!”

A shapely female figure appeared, made entirely of the semi-precious stone. At first, she didn't move, but then the statue turned animate with languid motions. She sparkled and glimmered with a mix of light and deep purple, causing Tina to blink a little at the spectacle.

“Amethyst, attack her Spark!” the haughty woman commanded, and with a sultry pose, light engulfed Spark and removed her as an attacker on the field. Hyper Strike took a point of damage, but the heroine merely winced as her twenty-five hit points lowered to twenty-four.

“Excellent~ And since one of my 'Noble Jewel' attackers successfully dealt damage, the commander effect of my Noble Queen Gemma activates. She gains one 'Precious Gem' Token, adorning herself with greater beauty and elegance~” The rings on the rival commander's left hand all gained brilliant purple gems, the same color as Amethyst.

“Once Noble Queen Gemma has four counters... well, I think it's better if it's a surprise~ Your turn. Ohohohohoho~!”

That laugh was grating on Tina's nerves. It was like this Fae was looking down on her as if she were someone beneath her. The Ranger leader had every intention to prove otherwise.

“I'll draw.” After drawing, Hyper Strike's Charisma went up by one, allowing Tina more leeway in what she could play. She had also managed to draw into a good bit of luck, as an attack support that could help her in this situation had made itself playable for her.

“I'll use three CP to bring out the attack support unit Ice Queen.” In a whirl of snow and ice, a heroine with mastery over weather and cold appeared, giving a thumbs up to Tina. “...uh... are they supposed to do that?”

Silver Knight was quick to offer some commentary to the situation. “It's flavor brought about by the magic currently occupying this space. They're simply undergoing a unique conceptual conversion that allows them to manifest in the real world. They're familiars of sorts. Besides, you shouldn't concern yourself with that. Be more worried about what will happen if you lose. Heheheh... ”

It was hard to believe, but the characters on the cards were becoming real to do battle. “Seems like something out of a kid's show.” she muttered, taking stock of her current hand. There seemed to be only one move she could do this turn. “I'll use the support card 'Call to Action' to increase Ice Queen's attack power by one, then have her attack your Amethyst.” At her prompting, Ice Queen gestured, calling upon a magically-emulated sleet storm that iced over Amethyst, before a lightning bolt struck the gem-woman, resulting in her defeat.

Fae-me Fatale grimaced at how quickly Tina was able to defeat her first play, and watched as Noble Queen Gemma's HP went down from eighteen to seventeen. Her commander wasn't known for having that great of HP values, but what she lacked in that she made up for with her Charisma points and effects. Yes, Tina had only seen one of two effects, and the second one had the Fae-kin eager to use it.

“Is that all?” Fae-me Fatale asked, maintaining a haughty demeanor. Tina knew the attack boost was only for this turn, so she prepared for what else this Fae-kin could deliver. Chances were that she couldn't afford to use that card retrieval effect too often, otherwise she wouldn't have any options of what to play in response to Tina's cards.

“Yes, that will end my turn.” she sighed. Time to see what this woman would do.

“I'll draw.” Her commander's Charisma goes up to six points as she does a quick check on her current cards. “Oh dear. I have bad news for you, Red. I think I just secured my win~” Tina blinked incredulously behind her helmet, not believing what she heard. But the leering, haughty grin on Fae-me Fatale's face told her that the Fae-kin wasn't joking.

“First, I'll use the effect of 'Today's Choice of Finery' to return the card I just drew to my deck, and retrieve a 'Noble Jewel' attack support with three or less attack. I will retrieve 'Noble Jewel Peridot', with an attack of two. Then I will use 'Queen's Crown Jewels' to summon another 'Noble Jewel' at no cost. Come forth, Noble Jewel Sapphire!”

In a brilliant flash, another shapely female figure made entirely of the precious gem appeared. Sparkling a vivid blue, Sapphire looked even more stunning than the previous gem-girl. And Tina could see by her stats that she was considerably stronger than Ice Queen.

“Five attack power... okay, that's not good, I have nothing to answer that move.” Tina thought.

“I'm not done yet, however! I also play Noble Jewel Peridot, and then use three Charisma points to play the support card 'Beckoning Luxury'. Its effect allows me to play a 'Noble Jewel' from my hand or deck without cost when I have two or more differently-named 'Noble Jewel' attack supports on my field. So here comes 'Noble Jewel Emerald'!”

Yet another brilliant flash and a stunning, sparkling green gem-woman appeared, posed alongside her fellow attackers. Three on one, and Emerald...had five attack, just like Sapphire. Tina was getting nervous now, since Fae-me Fatale could do a guaranteed nine points of HP damage to Hyper Strike, and she had no response to Sapphire or Emerald unless she drew something big next turn. She also realized that Noble Queen Gemma would likely gain the four counters she needed, which had Tina concerned.

“Ohohohohoho~!” The Fae-kin was beside herself in smugness. “Emerald, attack her Ice Queen!” The stunning gem-woman performed an alluring and provocative pose, firing blinding green light from her body at Ice Queen, who disappeared. “Follow it up, Sapphire and Peridot!” The two other attackers struck Hyper Strike directly, leading to the superhero sagging a bit from the damage. She was down to fifteen HP at this point, and if Fae-me Fatale summoned another Nobel Jewel, it might be enough to deplete that amount entirely.

With the damage dealt, three more counters were put on Noble Queen Gemma, who now had brilliant blue and green gems on her jewelry.

“Are you hard-pressed, dear? You know, you're not guaranteed to draw what you need during your next turn, and I know you've worked out the likelihood of my bringing out yet another Noble Jewel to attack you.” Fae-me chuckled smugly. “You could always prepare, and bring out your commander as an attack support. That is an option, and your Hyper Strike would be able to take advantage of her high attack value. You might even be able to turn things around on me!”

Tina clenched her teeth. Wendy had mentioned something about that, but she said doing so was generally a risky move. She shouldn't do it unless absolutely necessary. But she was in a tight spot now, and she knew that Hyper Strike would increase her attack power by one next turn for a total of six, since commanders had their attack power tied into their Charisma gain. The opportunity to bring out an attacker that would get stronger over time was something she couldn't pass up, even if it meant that her commander being beaten in a battle would mean an instant loss.

It was at this time that the other Rangers discovered that Silver Knight had yet another safeguard in place: they couldn't talk to or warn Tina. It was as if their voices were caught in their throats when they tried to speak to her. Wendy clenched her teeth, hating the fact that she was unable to warn Tina about the mistake she was about to make.

“... since I can do that during either of our turns, I'll take you up on your advice. I'll bring out Hyper Strike as my attacker.” A brief flicker of concern crossed the superhero's eyes, but she followed the command and seemed to instantly zip to an attacker position. The reaction from Fae-me Fatale was one that made Tina's stomach knot up.

“OHOHOHOHOHO~!! You can't take that back, Red! I suppose I'll accept your generous gift by activating Noble Queen Gemma's second ability! When she has four tokens on her, she can use them all up to target any enemy attack support with a unique effect. I'll let her show you what I mean~ Gemma, be a dear~”

The Fae-kin's commander laughed haughtily as her gem-studded jewelry glowed brightly. Each gem left its embedded bracket or socket, only to immediately appear on Hyper Strike, studding her with brilliant gemstones and freezing her in place. A look of shock was on her face as the gemstones glowed brightly, before her eyes glazed over, and the gemstones began to spread across the surface of her skin at a rapid rate. In mere moments, the colors melded, and Hyper Strike was a statue of pure gemstone, sparkling and glimmering as her color settled into a dull orange-red. Her hair changed, turning into a sculpted mass of long hair down past her shoulders, just like all the others. There wasn't even a visual indication of the costume she once had worn, though her curves were on full display now.

The new gem-woman immediately stood at attention, joining the others on Fae-me Fatale's side with a leap as her stats and name changed.

“Say goodbye to your commander, and hello to one of many of my Noble Jewel Zircon~ Ohohohohoho~!!” Tina's heart felt like it was sinking. Did this count as a loss? And if so... what was going to happen next?

“Still... a rather disappointing gain, Zircon is so common compared to my other lovely jewels...” The Fae-kin sighed, but then brought out an empty card. “Oh well. Since I won, I get my prize. You, Red. Perhaps you'll make a better gem in my deck!”

“Wait, what?!” Tina couldn't believe what she was hearing! But when the card faced her, she was frozen in place, unable to move a muscle as her sight was caught by the blank canvas of the card. Her eyes locked to it, and she felt her mind begin to rapidly blank out.

“Ohohoho~! The loser becomes a new card in the winner's deck, and the winner grows ever stronger! Those are the ante rules of this tournament! Now come, Red! You belong to me!” A cackle was heard from Fae-me as Tina was sucked in head-first into the card, disappearing from sight. The Fae-kin tucked the card that trapped the Rangers' leader into her deck, shuffling it in preparation for her next match.

With the spectacle over, Silver Knight stood up and faced where the match had unfolded. “ The match is over, Fae-me Fatale is the winner. As if there was any doubt, heheheh~”

Wendy clenched her fist. The deck Tina picked was one that was too technical for a beginner, but she was also struck with a case of bad luck. And her opponent had enough good luck to capitalize on that for an easy win. “..nggah, dammit!” She could finally talk? Well, she had some choice words for the Fae-kin who just beat their leader. But Katherine grabbed her shoulder, shaking her head when Wendy turned around.

“Now isn't the time. We shouldn't give Silver Knight any reason to stack the odds against us any more than they already are.”

Behind her helmet, Wendy's lips tightened into a narrow strip. Katherine had a point, there was still a chance for additional punishments if the rest of them irritated him. It was best to play his game and beat him at it. The prospects of such didn't look good at this time, though...

“I hope you're watching this, Cold Iron. Your alleged saviors just lost their leader, and I intend on showing that the rest of them are no more effective.” he said, directing his attention to one of the cameras streaming the tournament. A quick glance over the Rangers was met with yet another taunt. “Since I didn't want any intrusive commentary, the geas field also prevents participants from speaking to players currently engaged in a match. Let's see how well each of you can stand on your own, shall we?” Silver Knight then reached into the small bowl from before, pulling out two more strips of paper.

“The next match will be... MagiTech Green against The Queen of Knights. As before, the challenger will get to choose whether to go first or second.”

The armored knight stepped forth, casting an intense look at Katherine as both women approached the battle area. Katherine had her deck on hand, and as the two set up, her commander appeared: a bespectacled blonde woman with her hair done up in a mock beehive, dressed in a silver retro sci-fi go-go skirt with matching thigh-high boots and arm-length gloves, carrying a hardlight clipboard. She adjusted her glasses as Queen of Knights brought out her commander, a knightly queen in what could best be called an armor-plated dress, long brown hair pulled back into a french braid ponytail and sporting a regal and elegant crown atop her brow.

“I'll go second.” Katherine replied. She had come to some conclusions on how best to play her deck, based on her observations and assessments of how Tina had performed against her opponent. Her commander had low HP but high Charisma, and being able to take advantage of that would allow her more leeway in her plays. She watched as Queen of Knights made her first draw, playing two cards: a female squire named 'Knight's Squire' with an attack power of two, and a support card that could redirect an attack to another attack support on her side of the field called 'Parry Intervention'. Then it was her turn. With a draw and an analytical eye, she saw potential for achieving her win condition in two to three turns.

“First, Space Opera Star Olivia gains one Charisma point, bringing her up to six. Next, I'll bring out the attack support 'Crash Jordan, Defender of the Universe', with three attack power. Olivia's effect kicks in: since she's canonically Crash's girlfriend, he gets a morale boost for his attack power, going up to four attack. Furthermore, for every turn they're both out on the field, he gains an attack power of one and he can reduce any damage that Olivia takes from battle or effects by two points.”

It was a powerful effect if it was given enough time to breathe. But it was because it needed time to breathe that it was something that was quickly dealt with, either with strong attack support cards or support effects. Katherine wasn't sure what Queen of Knights' deck was capable of, but she needed some insurance. Thankfully, she drew into it.

“Next I'll activate 'Trooper Effect', which allows me to sacrifice any of my attack supports with 'Trooper' in their name to prevent the removal of any other of my attack supports during either of our turns. Then I'll play 'Earth Resistance Trooper', with an attack power of one. Now I'll attack, first with Crash, then with my Trooper.”

The grinning blonde space hunk pulled out a retro sci-fi laser rifle, firing off a laser bolt into the Knight's Squire and defeating her, before the Trooper followed with a shot from a laser pistol. A dent in the rival commander's twenty-five HP, bringing it down to twenty-two. It was a start, and her next turn promised to afford her a means of doing more. “Your turn.”

“Queen Ultria gains a Charisma point, bringing her to five.” Queen responds after her draw. A quick glance through her hand, and she brought out two more attack supports, a three attack power one named 'Table Knight Benivede' and another Knight's Squire.

“The effect of Knight's Squire activates. Any time she shares the field with one of the Table Knights, I can remove her from the field to prevent any of my attack supports from being destroyed until my next turn.” Queen chose to activate that effect, ensuring that the white haired, earnest-looking beautiful knight remained on the field. “Now I'll have Benivede attack your Trooper.” 

The two attack supports clashed, the knight deflecting the laser pistol fire before striking down the Trooper. Due to Olivia's effects with Crash, she took no damage from the attack. Queen had no more Charisma points to use, so she ended her turn. With another draw, Olivia's Charisma went up to seven, and Crash's attack power went to five. Yet Katherine knew the game was far from over, even if she could secure an advantageous position now.

“First I'll play the support card 'Space Freighter Delivery' at a cost of two Charisma, allowing me to draw a card.” She drew again, gaining exactly what she needed for the next turn: an attack support named Chuck Volgers, sporting four attack power. For now, she needed to ensure that Crash could survive to next turn, because she had a feeling that Queen of Knights was setting up for a comeback.

“Next I'll play 'Trooper Scramble' for three Charisma, which allows me to play up to three Troopers without cost from my deck, hand, or discard pile, as long as their combined attack power doesn't go over four attack power. I'll bring out the Earth Resistance Trooper from before, a second Earth Resistance Trooper from my deck, and then 'Colony Trooper' at two attack power.”

Three more Troopers appeared, one of them looking different from the other two due to their uniform being a mix of blue and black, rather than the Earth Resistance Troopers' beige and brown.

“Finally, I'll play the support card 'Pinpoint Accuracy' for two Charisma. Its effect allows me to attack with all my attack supports this turn, dealing damage directly to your commander's HP at the cost of not being able to attack any of your attack supports this turn! Open fire!”

Crash and the three Troopers all took aim at Queen Ultria, opening fire with a barrage of laser bolts that struck her multiple times. Queen of Knights grimaced at the display as nine HP was taken off of her commander instantly, bringing her down to thirteen HP. Though the other remaining Rangers couldn't cheer, Patricia couldn't help but fist-pump while Wendy and Chetana smiled.

“That's about half of your commander's HP gone.” Katherine remarked. “And I'm still able to do more. Perhaps you want to throw in the towel?” The taunt earned a wrathful look from Queen of Knights, and Katherine ended her turn.

“I draw, and Queen Ultria's Charisma reaches six. Now you'll learn some respect, cur.” Queen first played an attack support named 'Table Knight Gariel', sharing Benivede's attack power.

“Next I'll play 'Table Knights' Rallying Cry', which allows me to play any of my other Table Knights at half the cost, as long as I have at least two Table Knights on my field. Come forth, Table Knight Lanclette!”

A stunning beauty with raven black hair and gleaming silver armor appeared. While the other Table Knights were attractive women in their own right, it was obvious that Lanclette was a cut above the rest. Including in attack power, as she sat at six attack. Katherine was thankful that she had played Trooper Effect earlier, otherwise Lanclette could've been used to destroy Crash and deny her the win condition she needed. With it in play, Queen would have to destroy all the Troopers first and then attack Crash during her next turn to remove him from the field.

“Lanclette. As unworthy as your opponent is, you must strike down one of the two weakest Troopers.” The knight did so, slashing the balking Trooper with ease as Olivia dropped to fifteen HP. The other two knights followed suit and finished off the other Troopers, although Olivia would take no damage due to effects. Crash was left standing, and Queen of Knights seemed to be of the assumption that Katherine didn't have another copy of Trooper Scramble on hand.

“Sadly, I couldn't capitalize on Lanclette's attack power to deliver a decisive strike. But rest assured, next turn will be your end.”

She ended her turn, and Katherine drew. While she didn't draw into another Trooper Scramble, she had something better. Olivia went up to eight Charisma, while Crash went up to six attack power.

First, I'll play the attack support 'Chuck Volgers of the Futuristic Century!', with an attack power of four. Then I'll use Olivia's remaining Charisma to play 'Wing Commander'. If I have two space-faring attack supports of four attack power or higher, then I can activate this support to play the Joint Attack Support 'Century Raptor'!”

Suddenly, the space above them warped and a starry sky was seen as a window into space opened up. Hovering a ways above the field was an intimidating space-jet, designed for precision maneuverability, hyperspeed, and high attack power. The attack support sported an impressive ten attack points.

“The support effect only allows me to have it on the field for this turn, but that doesn't matter with its effect. Century Raptor excels at ambush tactics, and when it is successfully played, it automatically sends one of your attack supports to the discard pile! Open fire!”

The space-jet opened a missile on Lanclette, instantly eliminating her from the field. Katherine followed that effect up with two attacks from Crash and Chuck onto the other Table Knights, dealing a total of four HP damage to Queen Ultria.

“Time for a coup de gras! Century Raptor, fire directly on Queen Ultria for the win!” The space-jet did just that, turning its turrets and taking aim before a burst of laser turret fire tore through the last nine HP that the rival commander had. Queen Ultria disappeared, and Queen of Knights sank to her knees as a look of despondency came over her features. The look didn't last long, for as soon as Katherine won, she seemed to shimmer like a mirage, then the regal features and knightly attire she wore seemed to fade into dust. What was left in Queen's wake was a normal-looking twenty-something man, who promptly sagged to the floor from weakness.

“Devin!” One of the crowd who was hunched in fear saw MagiTech Green earn a win, gaining some hope from the sight as he called out to his friend. He ran over, carefully pulling him to his feet as they moved back to the groups of other hostages.

“Tch...” Silver Knight sounded irritated, but begrudgingly rose to his feet. “The match is over. MagiTech Green is the winner. Well fought, Ranger.”

“Awesome job!” Patricia cheered, and Wendy gave a thumbs up to her companion while Chetana softly smiled.

Wendy patted Katherine on the back as she rejoined them. “You did good for your first time. You picked up on things pretty well.”

“Don't congratulate me just yet. We need to get Tina back.” Katherine sighed. Their determination was steeled to have their leader rejoin them after this victory. It showed them that despite the weight of the situation, they could win.

“Yes, don't assume you'll have an easier time because you eliminated one of your competitors.” Silver Knight jeered. “It's still four versus four, and you never know if you'll have to play against each other. Speaking of which, it's time for the next draw.” He reached in, grabbing two slips of paper, and revealed the next match.

“MagiTech Yellow versus Glamazoness Tamer.”

“Alright! Time to show I'm not just good at video games!” Patricia cheered, giving a fist bump to Wendy as she jogged over to face the amazon. “So you're a tamer. Of what? Animals? I'm guessing that whip is for lions, but where's your chair?” She gave a triumphant laugh.

“I'm a tamer of women, especially goody-two-shoes like you~” Glamazoness grinned. “And who needs a chair when I can just have you willingly be my seat~?”

Behind her mask, Patricia blushed heavily, while Silver Knight and his concubines looked on in amusement.

“You'd better hurry up if you want to save everyone here, MagiTech Yellow. It's eight minutes before I choose my next concubine~”

She growled at him, but her eyes lingered perhaps a bit too long on the shapely, comely dragon-women. She felt a bit of a flutter in her gut, shaking her head briefly before bringing her attention back to the duel that awaited her.

End of Chapter 6


	10. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Losses are felt, and Wendy takes the stage to get her cousin and the other Rangers back!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 7: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 4

Feeling the pressure from Silver Knight's prompting that he was going to turn another of the civilians into one of his curvy... pretty... dragongirl sluts, Patricia shook her head away from lingering on their forms and got started with her first turn. Glamazoness Tamer certainly looked intimidating in physique, but this wasn't going to be a contest of strength or agility. Besides, games were Patricia's specialty, so she had plenty of confidence as she looked over her opening hand. Beside her appeared her commander: a brunette gamer girl sporting a shirt with a game pad on it, jeans, tennis shoes, and a VR headset with accompanying stick controllers.

“And here comes GameDiva, my commander!” Patricia grinned. “Once per turn, she can copy any effect of any card on the field or in my discard pile! It's a little ability called Replay! She also sports four Charisma points and twenty HP.” She then followed up with playing an attack support, and a figure in a futuristic suit of dull green space armor appeared, sporting a military-style rifle. “Here's First Lieutenant! That's it, that's his name. FL sports three attack power, and then I'll use GameDiva's remaining Charisma point to play the support card 'Requisition Order', which allows me to grab a permanent support card from my deck and add it to my hand. I'll grab 'Pulsar Grenade' in preparation for next turn! Then I'll use GameDiva's ability to repeat that effect and grab another 'Pulsar Grenade'!”

She shuffled her deck afterwards, and satisfied with her opening hand Patricia ended her turn. Glamazoness smirked, eyeing the armored military space fighter with some contempt before drawing. Her commander was a woman sporting wild, flowing black hair, and was sporting a leather bodice with leather loincloth. On her hip was a short sword, and in her hands were a collar and a whip.

“Hunter-Tamer, the Amazoness Trainer, will teach you and your deck proper discipline before you're added to the Fae Invasion Forces, MagiTech Yellow~” Glamazoness grinned. “First, she goes up one Charisma point, to a total of five. Then I'll play the attack support 'Amazon's Tigress', sporting two attack power.”

A buxom, athletically muscular woman sporting cat ears and a tiger's tail appeared, clad only in a tiger-striped bikini and thong, though her teeth were pointed and she sported some sharp-looking nails. She looked even more intimidating in physique and posture than Glamazoness herself.

“Next, I'll play the permanent support card 'Tooth and Nail' for two Charisma points. This card ensures that any attacks made by or against my attack supports with attack supports of the same power won't send mine to the discard pile. Then I'll use Hunter-Tamer's effect to whip Tigress into shape, raising her attack power by one until the start of my next turn!”

Her commander cracked her whip against the Tigress, making her jump upright and stand at attention as her eyes glazed over, while her build rippled with power. 

“And finally, I play the permanent support card 'Tamer's Collar' for one Charisma: any support on your side of the field that is beaten in battle is automatically affected by its effect, turning it into my attack support!”

Patricia blanched behind her helmet, knowing that Glamazoness was about to steal her attack support from her. There was nothing she could do about it, as the tiger-woman attacked and defeated her attack support, only for a collar to appear around his neck. He began to twitch, grabbing at the collar but unable to pull it off, before the chestplate on his armor burst off and revealed large breasts wrapped in a cowprint bikini top. The rest of the bulky space marine armor fell off in pieces, revealing a curvy and soft-looking woman with short black and white striped hair and cute cow's horns poking out the top of her head. She was clad in what could best be described as a cow-inspired fetish outfit, consisting of a cowprint bikini, clanging bell collar, and a cute tail lazily whipping about to match her horns. She got a dazed, blissful look on her face as she roamed over to Glamazoness's side of the field.

“Say hello to MY 'Amazon's Heifer', which you were kind enough to provide me~” she taunted. The gamer girl commander gave a cringe before shooting an angry pout at Glamazoness. “Your turn, Yellow. Next turn, though, you're going down!”

“Yeah, yeah, you talk big game, but I've met plenty like you who crumbled after I got serious.” Patricia growled, drawing... nothing of use. This was bad, and she realized that while she had a good handle on deck construction, luck was a good part of this game, and she hated having to rely on it. She had to make the best of what she was dealt, however. As GameDiva went up to five Charisma points, she looked through her hand: two Pulsar Grenades, an attack support that she just drew into with good power but who was incompatible with the Pulsar Grenades, another support card that could prove helpful, and two attack supports, one of which was too weak and the other too high in cost to play this turn.

“Alright. Time to dip into fantasy, and bring out 'Left-Handed Adventurer Elf'. Although it's obvious who he's supposed to be.” The attack support appeared in a flash of light, and indeed, he was inspired by another character: blonde hair, blue eyes, with elfin ears and wearing a green cap and tunic with white leggings and brown boots, sporting a sword in his left hand and a shield emblazoned with an eagle on his right arm.

“Your Tigress won't be beating him. His attack power is four, so he'll be able to take both of you on. Go for it, Elf! Catch that tiger by the tail!”

With a mighty “HYYAAAH!”, the elf charged with his shield up, and the Tigress clawed at it uselessly before he unleashed a mighty spin attack. She disappeared in a flash of light, ending up in Glamazoness's discard pile.

“How d'ya like that?!” Patricia pumped her fist as Hunter-Tamer went from twenty-two to twenty-one HP. “I've got more for you next turn!”

“Indeed you do, Yellow. I intend on taking everything you've got~” Glamazoness grinned widely, drawing a card as her turn started. “First, Hunter-Tamer's Charisma goes up to six, and I'll bring out Amazon's Lamia!”

A woman with the bottom half of a snake appeared, reminding Patricia of the snake-woman they had fought at the museum due to her size. She was easily twelve feet tall, and her tail trailed behind her another good fifteen feet. Besides that, though, the Lamia wore smoky eyeshadow and dark lipstick that gave her a bewitching look, and one that Patricia silently found very attractive.

“She uses up all my Charisma points to bring out, but it's more than worth it. I have all I need right now anyway! She also sports a special ability: upon being summoned, if there is an enemy attack support on the field, she can mesmerize it and drop its attack by three points, permanently!”

The Lamia locked eyes with the elf, and her eyes turned into hypnotic black and white spirals that were quickly reflected in the elf's eyes. He had no chance to resist, and stared vacantly back as she finished her hypnotic gaze.

“Then Hunter-Tamer's effect kicks in! Whip them into shape!”

A crack of the whip from Glamazoness's commander glazed over both the Heifer's and Lamia's eyes, and power rippled off of them as they both went up by one attack power. At the same time, the elf stiffened up too, and wandered over to the other side of the field.

“Oh, I forgot to mention: if a target that was mesmerized by Amazon's Lamia hears the crack of Hunter-Tamer's whip, they're compelled to obey until the end of my turn~ So I will attack you with all three of my obedient pets! Get that commander!”

All three struck, first the elf, followed by the Lamia, and then the Heifer, dropping GameDiva down to nine HP. Glamazoness began to laugh wickedly as the attack ended, confusing Patricia.

“What? That's it? GameDiva still has nine HP! I thought you were saying I would be done this turn!” the Ranger laughed.

“Oh, but you are~ You see, when Heifer deals a direct attack to a commander, they have no choice but to accept a little gift from her: her milk~”

Indeed, Patricia turned to see that the Heifer hadn't returned to Glamazoness's side of the field, and instead had moaned and mooed while groping herself, until a bottle of milk magically appeared. She shoved the bottle into GameDiva's hands, and Patricia's commander seemed a little shaky while she drooled at both the Heifer and her milk.

“Heifer's milk is so sweet and fragrant that no one can resist drinking it. But drinking it doesn't heal your HP, it damages your Charisma as you fall into a stupor! For every three HP your commander has, she loses two Charisma points. This effect lasts for the next two turns, and she can't generate any Charisma either. Your GameDiva was at five Charisma, dropping her to zero~”

Patricia's commander was compelled to guzzle the milk down, and Patricia watched as her Charisma dropped down to zero. Once finished, she dropped the bottle to the floor with a clink, and had a zoned out expression on her face.

“She's in no condition to do anything. And since you can't play any cards during your next turn, your turn is passed by default, as per the rules. Now it's my turn again!” Glamazoness cackles, drowning out Patricia's protests as she draws and Hunter-Tamer reaches seven Charisma. The elf had at that point returned to Patricia's side of the field, but it was too late.

“I'll play 'Tamer's Flute' for three Charisma, which increases the attack power of all my attack supports by two. Then Hunter-Tamer whips them into shape for another attack boost, and oh look, your elf is back on my side again~ You know what this means, don't you~?”

Despite her urging to move her feet and do something, maybe try shaking her commander out of her drunken state, but she felt numb all over. She was really going to lose...

The Lamia alone was more than enough to take out the rest of GameDiva's HP, and Glamazoness gloated as she was defeated by the Lamia's bite. The venom pounded through her veins, turning her into another exotic-looking lamia that wrapped herself around the first, hissing affectionately.

“Time to join the rest of my deck, Yellow~”

Patricia's head jerked up just in time to catch an empty card pointed at her. She froze, transfixed by a power that pulled her in and froze her mind completely. Slowly, she seemed to stretch headfirst towards the card, before being sucked into it and quickly shuffled in. Glamazoness Trainer patted her deck, grinning towards the remaining three Rangers.

“She's in good hands, don't worry. I have the perfect role for her~”

Silver Knight stood up, and with a smug tone in his voice proclaimed “The match is over. Glamazoness Trainer is the winner!”

“YOU BITCH!” Wendy nearly jumped out of her suit to attack Glamazoness, but Chetana and Katherine grabbed her by her arms and just barely managed to hold her back.

“No! S-stop, Black! Keep a cool head!” Katherine struggled to try and reason with Wendy, while Chetana just held on the best she could. “We'll get them back, but if we break the rules we'll lose by default!”

That managed to stop Wendy from throwing herself at Glamazoness, but just barely. She clenched her fist hard enough that she felt like she would strain her wrist, and let out a shuddering breath to release her anger while she flexed her fingers.

“Well, that was a nice bit of drama... “ Silver Knight mused. “But we do have a match. And since Yellow was kind enough to lose in under eight minutes, I'll take the opportunity to add to my harem~” He pointed a finger at one of the huddling players, firing an icy beam that hit them in the forehead, emblazoning Silver Knight's draconic sigil of authority over him as he turned curvy, buxom, and undeniably female. Soon a new pearl-lipsticked and eyeshadowed beauty sporting dragon horns, wings, and tail sauntered over to Silver Knight's side, pressing a kiss against his helmet. He stepped over to the nearby table and pulled out another pair of slips of paper from the bowl to determine the next match.

“Miss Yuki versus MagiTech Blue.”

Chetana felt her throat tighten, but she approached at the same time as the ice maiden did. She could feel the chill of the air around her opponent from how the heat seemed to be leeched out of the air.

“...you're... drawing in all the heat.” Chetana stated with some calm certainty, and the ice maiden cocked an eyebrow.

“You can feel it, then? Interesting.”

“Your musings can wait another day, Miss Yuki.” Silver Knight interrupted, and the ice maiden bowed in deference to him before pulling out her deck.

“You can probably guess what I'm going to be playing~” Yuki smiled.

“Saying something about fire would be rather glib, but yes. I suppose you are all themed around your decks.” Chetana then took note of a detail that she said, and Katherine nudged Wendy in the arm while physically nodding towards Chetana. Silver Knight let out a low growl, but said nothing else, seeming to confirm the passing statement that Chetana had made.

Wendy gave an irritated huff towards Katherine and asked, “What is it?”

“Think about what Blue just said.”

“...oh...”

“Begin the match!” Silver Knight sounded impatient now, so Chetana decided to go second and let Yuki have the first turn. She needed to see exactly what her opponent would be playing, and what kind of strategy would be employed. Yuki's commander came out, revealing an elegant woman made of ice and clad in opaque, glimmering robes. Chetana's own commander appeared at the same time, a bespectacled forty-something woman sporting a long braid of dark hair that hung to the left, wearing dark robes with a red tunic and beige dress underneath.

“T'shamle the Maiden of Frost will be my commander. She starts off with four Charisma, so I'll play two Frost Wyrmlings, each costing one Charisma point.”

Two icy, serpentine creatures appeared, floating in a small flurry of snow with their wings outstretched and fangs bared.

“Then I'll use the remaining two Charisma points T'shamle has to play the support card 'Beguilement of Soft Snow': when I have only Water element support units and a Water element Commander in play, I can add the name 'Snow' to any support unit played and change its element to Water, during either of our turns. Then I'll Amalgamate my two Frost Wyrmlings to bring out Twin-Headed Frost Serpent.”

Discarding the two attack supports, a new creature made of the other two appeared, having the appearance of the two Frost Wyrmlings fused at the neck, yet looking sharper and about twice the size of a Frost Wyrmling.

“That will end my turn.”

Chetana took her draw, looking a bit pensive behind her mask as she surveyed the field and her hand. It was obvious that the deck she was facing was more deliberate in its plays, but she didn't know if it had any other means of causing her problems. Compounding that issue was that she had no attack supports in her hand. It was a bad opening, but thankfully that wouldn't be too much of a problem with this particular deck. Her commander went up from three Charisma to four at that time; it was an issue with this deck archetype that its commander had among the lowest Charisma value of all commanders, but she also sported a hefty thirty HP, which meant she could stay in the game for a good while.

“First, I'll activate the effect of my Loremaster Blavatsky. Once per turn, if there is an attack support on my opponent's side of the field when I have none, I can retrieve a card from my deck with 'Lore' in its name. I'll retrieve an attack support, 'Student of Lore', with two attack power. Then for three Charisma, I'll play the permanent support card 'Research Assistant'. Now when I summon an attack support, I can summon another attack support with 'Lore' in their name to the field for no cost, but they must be of lower attack power than the attack support I summoned.”

It was a good opening start from a bad hand, even if her commander was still exposed. She followed up the play with using the last Charisma point of her commander to play a support card that let her draw until she got another attack support with 'Lore' in its name. After sending three cards from the top of her deck to the discard pile, she retrieved 'LoreLord Newton', sporting four attack power. It was a draw she needed, and would be of help to her in her next turn. Not that Yuki appeared keen on letting Chetana have an advantage.

“No attack supports to play? How disappointing~” the yuki-onna grinned. “Luck is like that sometimes. Unfortunately for you, I have no intention on holding back just because you're a beginner down on their luck.” Her turn came around, and T'shamle went up to five Charisma. “Since you're wide open, I'll take advantage of this opportunity to deal as much damage as I can to you, and save the real fun for later. First I'll play 'Nymph of the Frost Plains' at two attack power, followed by the support card 'Winter's Breath' for two Charisma.”

A sudden cold fog appeared, and snow and wind kicked up into a small flurry, causing Yuki's attackers to glow.

“Winter's Breath doubles the attack power of any attack support with 'Frost', 'Snow', or 'Ice' in their name, halves the attack of any attack support that has a Fire element, and renders any attack support with 'Torrent', 'Water', 'Aqua', or any body of water in their name incapable of attacking until the start of my next turn. Now...it's time for some pain~”

With the power boost, both the nymph and serpent struck Chetana's commander directly. Due to the serpent's effect, it struck twice, decreasing Chetana's commander by sixteen HP. Over half her life gone in one round. It struck home how important it was to have an attack support on the field to mitigate damage...

“That ends my turn~”

Chetana knew this was getting bad, and that she was at a severe disadvantage now. Taking her next draw, Chetana watched as Loremaster Blavatsky's Charisma went up by one, giving her more to work with. Now was the time to make some plays.

“First, I'll activate Blavatsky's effect, allowing me to search for a card with 'Lore' in its name and add it to my hand if I have no attack supports on my side while my opponent does. I'll take the support card 'Forbidden Lore'. Then I'll play the attack support 'LoreLord Newton' for four Charisma, and use the effect of 'Research Assistant to bring out 'Student of Lore'.”

Yuki smiled, interrupting. “And you trigger the effect of my 'Beguilement of Soft Snow'~ Now they have the added name 'Snow' in their name, and their elements are changed to Water.” As soon as both appeared, both began to gain a thin glaze of snow that covered them, concealing their features to a point as they shivered. “Now, you may continue~”

Gritting her teeth, Chetana prepared for her next move. “The archetype effect for Lore attack supports activates. When I have two or more attack supports with 'Lore' in their name, I can choose to add the attack power of the lowest attack power card I have to one I control with the highest attack power, at the cost of only being able to attack with that card this turn. 'LoreLord Newton' is now at six attack power, more than enough to eliminate your Twin-Headed Frost Serpent! Attack, Newton!”

The occultist chants, readying his attack, but at that moment Yuki gives a lilting laugh. “How unfortunate that I can use T'shamle's effect during either of our turns. Any single attack support with 'Snow', 'Ice', or 'Frost' in its name that I choose cannot be destroyed by battle during the turn I activate this effect! Now your attack is pointless!”

Chetana's eyes widened in shock as the two cards battled, and the serpent struck her LoreLord at the same time as he struck it, only to see the serpent survive while her attacker disappeared into a fine mist and end up in the discard pile. The kamikaze attack she had planned backfired, and the threat was still as real as ever.

“...I'll end my turn.”

The yuki-onna smirked, drawing her next card and jeering, “Yes, you will~ And look at that, just the card I needed~” T'shamle's charisma went up again, now at six. “First, for five charisma, I'll play the support card 'Oath of Fealty to the Court of Winter'. This is only playable when all cards I control are Water element. Now all attack supports with 'Ice', 'Snow', or 'Frost' in their name has control of it given to me, and any attack supports with said words in their name have an attack power increase of two.”

Suddenly, the snow-clad student on Chetana's side of the field moved to Yuki's side, her eyes glowing an icy blue as she succumbed to the call. Her power increased, as did the other two attack supports, glowing with augmented strength brought on by the cold.

“You're wide open, Blue~ And the combined strength of my attackers is more than your commander's remaining HP. You lose~ Attack, my thralls!”

The serpent, nymph, and enthralled student all struck down Chetana's commander, reducing her to zero HP and ending the match. Fear gripped Chetana's heart, as she knew what was coming next. Yuki held aloft an empty card, and suddenly Chetana felt compelled to gaze into it as a sense of cold bled through her body. Yet that sensation was oddly calming. The thought was the last thought in her mind before it blanked out into a trance, and MagiTech Blue was pulled into the card and shuffled into Yuki's deck.

“Ohohoho~” Yuki haughtily giggled as she smoothly traveled away from the play area.

“The match is over. The winner is Miss Yuki~” Silver Knight said with palpable smugness in his voice. Wendy and Katherine watched on, dumbstruck. They had lost three of their number now, and only had one win on their side. Wendy couldn't even summon up any anger through the shock she was feeling, but Katherine was able to shake her out of it as the last match was called.

“There's only two players who have not had their turns yet, so it's only fitting they fight each other.” Silver Knight gestured to the buxom red-headed witch. “The final match of the quarter-finals is MagiTech Black against Sorceress Suprema!”

As the two approached each other, Wendy began to feel her blood run hot again with indignation. Three of her teammates were schooled harshly and without mercy, and who knows what the Fae-kin who beat them had done to them. Things were not looking good for humanity at the moment. But she was not going to let Katherine handle things alone, and she definitely wasn't going to let herself be a victim. Not to mention, she had the most experience with Fantasy Commander out of all of them, and the deck she had was currently one of the strongest ones.

“Oh my, no words towards our illustrious host, Black?” Sorceress Suprema smirked with haughty satisfaction at the state of the Rangers, intending to get further under Wendy's skin with some taunting. “I think she's speechless~”

“Shut it witch, you haven't even played a match yet.” Wendy barked back. “You can have a laugh at my expense if you beat me. But you've pissed me off enough that I intend on slamming you hard and fast.”

The Fae-kin witch curled her lip at the cutting response, but she quickly regained her composure. “Well, I didn't realize I ended up with the most savage among the team. I suppose some taming is in order to make you into a good witch's familiar~”

“Fat chance. You're getting jabs in the face and a kidney punch where the sun do-”

Silver Knight gave a commanding shout, “Enough. Begin the match!”

“I'll go first.” Wendy said, drawing her opening hand and summoning out her commander: an athletically-built fighter wearing a qipao dress and in a ready stance to intercept any attacks. “Martial Queen Liu starts off with five Charisma and has a total of twenty-five HP. Her effect allows me to return one support card on your side of the field to your hand when one of my attack supports deals damage to your commander's HP.”

“Interesting. My commander, Pyrrha of the Mystic Flame, has five Charisma and twenty HP, and she allows me to repeat the effect of any of my support cards once per turn.” Suprema smirked. “If we're going into detailing card effects, you could always spill the beans on what you have so I can prepare accordingly~”

“No need. We both know the other's deck at this point.” Wendy said, getting a surprised blink out of her opponent. “I already know you're running a burn deck, which makes my commander's effect dangerous to you. I just wanted to reiterate her stats to let you know that you're already at a disadvantage.”

“You little...” The witch growled, but she said nothing else as Wendy made her first plays. Using all of her commander's Charisma points, she brought out 'Martial Fighter Ichiro' for two, and then a support card called 'Open Palm, Closed Fist', which allowed her once per turn to choose between having her opponent's HP be restored by two in exchange for a free draw, or an attack boost of two to any one 'Martial' attack support.

“Nothing's preventing me from using its effect this turn, so I'll use the Open Palm effect to heal your commander by one and draw another card. Since your commander is already at full HP, this does nothing.” Wendy smirked behind her helmet, drawing into a good card for later.

Upon Wendy ending her turn, Suprema drew, and her commander's charisma went up by one, which allowed her to play two cards: first, a support card that inflicted one HP damage at the end of each of her turns for three charisma, then an attack support named 'Witch's Flame Cat'. In a burst of flame, a sexy cat-eared and tailed woman with long red hair flickering off in flame appeared, with flames making up a bikini and high heels on her.

“As long as 'Witch's Flame Cat' is out on the field, I can do an additional point of damage to your commander for every damage effect support card on my side of the field.” Suprema smirked. The rest of her cards were too high in cost, but doing three damage during her turn was a good opening. “I won't attack this turn, so I end my turn. Taste the searing flame! Each burn is a step closer to my victory!”

Wendy watched as Liu went down to twenty-two HP, then she drew, watching her Charisma go up by one to a total of six. 

“Time to get to work. I'll play the support card 'Follow-through' for three charisma, which lets any of my attackers attack a second time when they successfully defeat an opponent's attack support. Then I'll play 'Martial Fighter Abilio' for another three charisma. I'll use the 'Closed Fist' effect of 'Open Palm, Closed Fist' to boost Abilio's attack to five this turn. Time to do some damage. Abilio, attack her Flame Cat!”

The Brazilian martial artist flip-kicked towards the familiar, performing an eye-catching series of spins using his legs to build momentum, before a powerful kick struck the catgirl in the midsection, immediately defeating her. As a result of the successful beatdown, Liu's effect kicked in and sent Suprema's support card back to her hand while Abilio did a follow up attack that hit Suprema's commander directly. Then Ichiro finished his attack, leaving Pyrrha at eight HP. Wendy ended her turn, smirking at how effortlessly she had made a counter-attack, and that Suprema was biting her lip in apprehension.

“That's over half your commander's HP, and I undid your initial set-up. You'd better have something good.” Wendy taunted.

“Nnnghhg!! Shut up!” Suprema drew, with Pyrrha going up to seven Charisma. There was a great deal more she could've done, but Wendy's turn had completely turned back everything she had set up.

“I'll play 'Spreading Fire' again for three charisma, then bring out 'Flame Elemental' at four attack power!” In a burst of flame, a voluptuous, nude woman with hair and eyes of fire and orange-red skin with flame patterns along her arms, torso, and legs appeared, sporting bright orange lipstick and eyeshadow. “Flame Elemental deals extra damage equal to the attack power of the attack support she defeats in combat. Take out her Abilio!”

The Flame Elemental blew a fiery kiss at the martial artist, with a heart-shaped fireball shooting at him and engulfing him in flame. Liu took extra damage from the attack, followed by more burn damage from Suprema's support card and Pyrrha's effect, bringing her down to sixteen HP.

“Now we're about even.” Suprema smirked. “Let's see what your next move is, Black.”

Wendy drew her next card, smirking as Liu's Charisma went to six. “Too bad for you. I just drew a killer top deck. I told you that you were at a disadvantage in this match, and now I'm going to show you that you had no chance. I'll play 'Inner Ki Unleashed' for four charisma, which allows me to pick between two effects: the first effect allows one attack support on my side of the field to not be defeated when battling an attack support of equal attack. The other requires me to send an attack support from my side of the field to the discard pile when my opponent's attack supports have higher attack; doing so lets me play an attack support with up to three times the attack power of the discarded attack support without cost from my hand or deck.”

Ichiro left the field, and in his place came a much stronger attack support. A toned, stoic-looking man with short, dark hair and a steely glint in his eye, shirtless and sporting an intense aura of power.

“'Martial Master Daichi' is here, sporting six attack power, and he gets boosted by the 'Closed Fist' effect to go even further beyond!” The martial artist master let out a powerful shout, his aura growing in intensity as he faced down the Flame Elemental. “Here's the difference in our power! Daichi, take it out and end this fight!”

With a single fluid motion, the fighter leaped forward and delivered a solid palm strike to the chest of the elemental, blowing it away in a burst of flame dissipating. With 'Follow-through', he then sent a blast of ki as a strike towards Pyrrha, dealing more than enough damage to send her HP to zero.

“NNOOOooooOoo!!” Suprema clutched her chest in fear as she sank to her knees. “I don't want to go back! I want to stay like this! I-”

Sorceress Suprema's visage blew away like dust, leaving a cute strawberry red-headed young woman on her knees, blinking dumbly as she began to slip out of a daze. Two people in the crowd rushed over to her, pulling her with them as they returned to the crowd of civilian hostages.

“Tch...she's running that deck then? Fine.” Silver Knight mumbled. “MagiTech Black is the victor of this match! A decisive win, Ranger. You certainly handled that well.”

“You're damn right I did!” Wendy retorted. “I'm here to win, as is the rest of the team, and I'm getting them back from your participants!”

“We'll see. At least you'll provide an entertaining show.” Silver Knight stood up, addressing the cameras. “The Quarter-finals of The Tournament of Will are over. Three of the FIF's players and two of the Rangers advance to the Semi-finals. The Rangers have taken severe losses, yet cling to hope and have shown some capability. We shall see how they hold up in the next round of matches.”

Wendy returns to Katherine's side, feeling pumped up and confident that they can win this, but that confidence takes a slight hit as Katherine speaks to her.

“I've tried contacting Project Command while you were playing.” she said. “...I can't get through. I think Silver Knight's field of authority is interfering with communications. We're on our own.”

End of Chapter 7


	11. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The semi-finals! Finally!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 8: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 5

Wendy didn't want to believe what Katherine just told her, maybe due to hoping that they weren't alone in navigating this treacherous tournament. But pushing past her emotions did bring her to concluding that Katherine was right. Dr. Bohra would have contacted them by now, especially after Chetana fell victim. As much as she was glad to not hear the steely edge that would have been in Dr. Bohra's voice, the dread of toughing this out alone beat that out on Wendy's list of 'things I wouldn't want to deal with'.

“So what's our plan?” she asked Katherine. Their strategist had to have something in mind.

“...I'm afraid this isn't really in my element. Aside from taking note of the thematic nature of our opponents' decks and what cards they have played thus far, all I can say is 'try to win'.” The worry was palpable in Katherine's tone, and her assessment was one that Wendy wasn't happy about.

“...grreeeeaaaaaaaaat.”

As amusing as their conversation was to Silver Knight, he wanted to move things along. He was also eyeing who his next target would be for adding to his harem of dragon girl concubines. There was a delicious satisfaction in turning many of these young men into comely vixens who obeyed him completely, their very form at his command and liking. But he wanted to share his 'gift' with some of the women in the crowd too, and he spotted one of the commentators from earlier, Holly Williams.

“Another ten minutes, then...~ Alright, with that brief reprieve for the Rangers, it's time for the Semi-Finals.” One of the draconic concubines wheeled away the bowl of names to draw out of, only for Silver Knight to conjure a tacky-looking wheel with prongs at the edges and an affixed arrow that would point to the spot that stopped below it. There were five spaces in total, one for each of the winners of the Quarter-finals.

“And away we go!” With a showy tug, the arrow clacked away at each prong as the wheel spun, and eventually it landed on a space.

“Miss Yuki! And let's see who her challenger is...” Another spin, and it clacked away, slowing down until it landed on...

“MagiTech Green! Lucky, I was worried that two of our lovely Fae-kin would have to play rock-paper-scissors to see who joined the other's deck~”

Wendy gave an irritated huff, but Katherine simply patted her on the shoulder, briefly leaning in. “There's too many players to run just two matches for the semi-finals, so one of us is going to be playing twice before we get to the finals.”

“You mean there's going to be three matches?” Wendy asked, and Katherine gave a nod as she stepped forward to face Miss Yuki.

Silver Knight gestured, saying with some flair, “Without further ado, let's begin the first semi-final match of the Tournament of Will! Miss Yuki versus MagiTech Green! Begin!”

“The same rules apply as before, MagiTech Green: the challengers to our champion may decide who takes the first turn during their matches.” Miss Yuki commented. “Considering what you've seen of my deck, do you wish to go first or second?”

“I don't think it really matters.” Katherine commented. “It's a matter of who gets their win condition first.”

“An adequate response. Those of us in this round are versed enough with our decks that opening hands and the first few draws are what is going to determine the victor.” Yuki nodded knowingly, smiling with a mix of politeness and cunning.

“I'll go first.” Katherine drew her opening hand, with Space Opera Star Olivia appearing on her side of the field. “Hm.”

Her opening hand was one that would give her a commanding lead from the first play. “Olivia starts off at five Charisma, and I'll use three to bring out 'Crash Jordan, Defender of the Universe'. Olivia's effect kicks in when he's out on the field, so he's now at four attack power.”

Katherine also played a support card, 'Environmental Suit', that would negate enemy passive effects applied to her attack supports for as long as the card was on the field. It cost her the rest of Olivia's Charisma, but it was a hard counter to one of Yuki's core cards for that devastating lockdown she performed on Chetana.

“I haven't seen her utilize any cards that return played cards to the hand or that destroy supports or negate effects.” she thought. “It's purely been those two support cards and T'shamle's effect that have had such a devastating effect. But we'll see what else she comes up with.”

With Katherine's turn at an end, Yuki drew her opening hand and then her sixth card, and T'shamle's Charisma went to five. There was a look of disappointment prominent on Yuki's face as she looked at Katherine's field.

“Well, this is no good. I can't coat your attack supports in my soft snow and control them, now can I?” Yuki pouted. “What's the point of playing this deck if I can't turn others through my soft, lovely snow? Ah... it's so sad... I guess I'll have to try and buy time.”

She played a new attack support, 'Ice Maiden Construct', a chilly-looking woman made of pure ice with barely any features on her face. “'Ice Maiden Construct' must be attacked a total of three times before she leaves the field, though any damage I may take is dealt as normal. She's at three attack power, so she's unfortunately no match for your spaceman. But we'll see how you fare during my next turn...”

She then played 'Beguilement of Soft Snow', though its effect could not be applied to Crash, as the ice and snow harmlessly crusted over parts of the environmental suit he now wore.

“That will be all for this turn.”

“Alright, then it's my turn.” Katherine took the initiative as Olivia went to six Charisma and Crash to five attack, and prepared her offensive. “I'll just have to make sure I remove that attack support soon. Let's start off with this.”

She repeated a move that she performed in her last match, playing 'Trooper Scramble' followed by 'Pin-Point Accuracy', bringing out two Colony Troopers who immediately were clad in environmental suits to protect them from Yuki's support card, followed by an Earth Defense Trooper with the last point of charisma.

“Open fire!”

For the first time during the tourney, T'shamle took damage, going down from twenty-five HP to fifteen. Yuki frowned, but then gave an amused shrug. With Katherine's turn ended, T'shamle went to six charisma as the Fae-kin drew for her turn.

“Ah, there you are! I suppose it's time to show what happened to MagiTech Blue.”

“What?!” No one could see it, but Katherine had a shocked look on her face. Yuki chuckled icily as she played a new attack support. In a light flurry, a woman with pale blue skin and dark blue hair appeared, ice encrusting her body in such a way as to create a skimpy bikini with arm-length gloves and dress heels. No one watching the stream would recognize her, but Katherine and Wendy did.

It was Chetana, with a glassy gaze and solid glowing blue eyes.

“I give you 'Winter's Thrall C'tana', at five attack power.” Yuki smiled. “Not enough to take out Crash, but you've provided me with plenty of fodder to attack. C'tana, obey your Fae mistress, and attack the Earth Defense Trooper.”

“As you wish.”

Katherine's mind didn't process what had happened at first. Thus far, all the fighters summoned by these cards interacted to an extent with their players and the other attack supports, but they never talked! Yet Chetana, now a Fae-touched card...woman...

The attack went through, sending the trooper to the discard pile and dealing two points of damage to Olivia instead of four, due to her effect. The attack itself shook Katherine out of her shock as she faced down her former teammate.

“Oh, I wish I could've seen the look on your face, but your helmet was in the way, ahahahahah~!” Yuki tittered with some haughtiness at her opponent's expense. “How does it feel to have to fight your ally, dear Green? Then again, you have some experience with being bound to a Fae-kin, don't you~?”

C'tana smiled demurely, completely under the thrall of the one who played her. Would she be returned to normal if Katherine could beat Yuki? Or would she be stuck until the end of the tournament?

“I'm going to break her out of whatever spell you have her under.” Katherine said with conviction. This changed nothing, she and Wendy still had to win.

“Well, to finish off my turn, I'll have C'tana's effect activate: when she successfully defeats an opponent's attack support in battle, I can retrieve a support card of my choice from my deck, and play it without cost!”

C'tana's hand reached to Yuki's deck as a beam of cold energy struck it, pulling out and immediately playing a support card.

“'Mirrored Ice' allowed me to take the effect of one Water element attack support with 'Ice', 'Snow', or 'Frost' in its name and copy that effect onto another attack support with the same words in its name. T'shamle's effect also affects my dear C'tana, so she now gets Ice Maiden Construct's effect!”

C'tana glowed with a dull, icy blue aura, letting out a hum of pleasure as she basked further in Yuki's control. With the Fae-kin's turn completed, Katherine drew, Olivia went to seven Charisma, and Crash went to six attack power. But she was in a bind: would attacking Chetana like this harm her in the long run? Did the rules apply to her like the other attackers, or was she special because she was captured in an odd way. Indecision began to grip at her heart, and try as she might, it wasn't going away.

“Too many potential negative consequences... this isn't good. I'll have to... gh!” Her focus was waving as she spent more time in her head trying to think things out, and the entire time she did so, Wendy was growing angry. She was getting hung up on details when she needed to just commit to the game! Everything would revert back to normal once the tournament was complete, right?! That's what she had been led to believe.

But Wendy couldn't speak to her due to the effect of the geas field on the tournament, and soon...

“Time's up! MagiTech Blue has not made a play within the two minute limit, so she forfeits the match!” Silver Knight decreed. The smugness in his voice was palpable, and Katherine turned to face him in protest, but it was too late. C'tana floated over to Katherine and embraced her, whispering into her ear as the rest of the attack supports faded.

“You'll enjoy the embrace of the cold. Be one with the Court of Winter, and become my sister~”

Katherine felt herself freeze up as cold began to creep into her body. She shuddered as her extremities began to freeze up from C'tana's embrace, and with it came a blanket of bliss and mind-numbing comfort.

“No... I... Wendy... I'm sorry...” Katherine felt her focus fade as she fell into a magical trance, and Yuki sucked her opponent into another card. Yuki shot a smug look at Wendy as she sauntered away, taking her place back on stage while Silver Knight spun the wheel again.

“Another victory for the FIF, and a fourth Ranger defeated! The odds are against you, MagiTech Black! We'll see how well you handle the pressure!”

The clacking of the wheel was all that was heard as tension and fear filled the convention hall. There was only one Ranger left, and still three opponents to face.

“In this match, we have MagiTech Black!” 

Another spin followed. What chance did she have, even with a strong deck? Wendy could feel the weight of this tension on her shoulders, but she refused to buckle to it.

“Pressure? Odds? I'm still here, I'm still standing, Knight! And as long as a single Ranger stands, there's still hope! I'm going to do the impossible, and make even a hundred-thousandth of one percent into a guaranteed victory! That's why I'm here!”

The conviction in her voice overpowered that tension to such an extent that hope began to return to the hearts of the civilians inside.

“Bah. All talk. Here's some action!” And Silver Knight jumped over to a male player, grabbing him swiftly by the arm as he slapped the player's thigh. In a brilliant flash of light, the player moaned, turning into yet another buxom draconic beauty who nestled herself into his embrace, sporting his sigil on her thigh like a tramp stamp. 

“This is the reality you face, MagiTech Black! You're one match away from a loss! And the Fae-kin to deliver it will be-!”

The wheel had stopped spinning, landing on Glamazoness Tamer. And once again, apprehension and despair was filling the room.

“Heh, that basic deck?” Wendy smirked. “You just gave me a win. Amazons have always had a soft disadvantage against the Martial archetype.”

The room began to respond to Wendy's assertions, many of the players knowing that it was true. And MagiTech Black showed herself to be no slouch when it came to Fantasy Commander.

“Tch! We'll see!” Silver Knight spat. “MagiTech Black versus Glamazoness Tamer! Take your positions and start your match!”

Wendy confidently strutted to where the match would be played as Glamazoness approached from the other side.

“You've got spirit, and a sharp tongue. Ladies like you give me the most fun when I break them in~”

Wendy scoffed at her opponent.

“Only breaking that's going to happen is your heart when I whip your ass. And I may just use your whip as additional insult to injury. I'm going first.”

Taking her draw, Wendy watched as 'Martial Queen Liu' appeared on her side, while 'Hunter-Tamer, the Amazoness Trainer' appeared on Glamazoness's side.

“First off, I'll bring out 'Martial Fighter Kenshin' at two attack power, then play 'Open Palm, Closed Fist'. Kenshin's effect activates when I do not attack during my turn, increasing his attack power by two until I attack with him. I also activate the Open Palm effect of my support card. Your commander is already at full HP, so she doesn't get healed any further, but I get to draw an additional card. That'll end my turn.”

Glamazoness frowned as Wendy exploited her first turn start, mounting an early offensive. As Hunter-Tamer went up to five Charisma, the Fae-kin weighed her options. Then she played a new attack support.

“I'll bring out 'Amazon's Wolf' at two attack power, then play 'Tooth and Claw' for another two charisma points.”

In a flash, a lithe and wild-looking woman with gray hair, wolf ears and tail, and sporting a leather bikini appeared. She gave a howl as she eyed Wendy's attack support, and suddenly another wolf-woman with the same appearance appeared.

“Whenever 'Amazon's Wolf' is played at cost to the field, I can play another 'Amazon's Wolf' at half cost. What's more, when two or more of 'Amazon's Wolf' are on the field during my turn, I can choose to add one's attack power to the other, but only that wolf can attack this turn. Oh, and don't forget Hunter-Tamer's effect, which boosts her attack by one!”

The first wolf-woman growled, glowing with a beastly aura before Hunter-Tamer snapped her whip. Stiffening up with a glazed expression on her face, Amazon's Wolf obediently attacked Kenshin, sending him to the discard pile. With one point of damage taken, Wendy was now without an attacker. Glamazoness ended her turn, and Wendy drew as Liu went to six Charisma.

“This may be a repeat of my last match, but it works! I'll activate the support card 'Follow-through', then play 'Martial Fighter Abilio', using up the last of Liu's Charisma. I'll also activate the Closed Fist effect, boosting Abilio to five attack power. You know what comes next.”

Abilio lunged, taking out one of the wolf-women, and Liu's effect kicked in to send 'Tooth and Nail' back to Glamazoness's hand. Then Abilio's effect triggered, and he took out the second wolf-woman, dealing even more damage to Hunter-Tamer.

“Your commander is down to 19 HP, and you're back at square one. Your turn.”

Glamazoness growled, but then gave a toothy grin. “I knew you were spirited, I just didn't know how much of a challenge you'd be. Good~ Time to play something more... weighty.”

Hunter-Tamer went to six Charisma, and Glamazoness chose to pass over replaying 'Tooth and Nail' to bring out a tougher attacker. A sharp-toothed woman with short-cropped green hair and impressive armored scales on her outer arms, thighs, back, and covering her breasts and groin appeared. She also had a powerful-looking thick reptilian tail that looked like it could hurt if it smacked someone.

“This is 'Amazon's Crocodile', at four attack power. When she successfully deals damage during battle, she deals additional damage equal to half the attack power of the defeated attack support, rounded down. Whip her into shape, then send her at him!”

Another whip-crack, and the crocodile woman stood up erect, tamed and boosted as it bit down hard on Abilio, before spinning him into a slam with a powerful grapple. He was sent to the discard pile, and in her thrashing her tail lashed out and hit Liu across the side, dealing more damage.

“That's it for my turn.”

Liu was at twenty-one HP, still within an equal range of Hunter-Tamer. Wendy needed to take out this crocodilian before she did any more damage. With a draw, and Liu going to seven Charisma, she got her opportunity.

“First off, let's start with 'Martial Fighter Daiyu', at four attack power.”

Another female fighter appeared, this one dressed in a more ornamental fighter's attire, though it still afforded her freedom of movement despite covering most of her body. Her hair was tied back into a coiled braid, and she sported sharp eyes.

“Then I'll play 'Rallying Kiai' for three Charisma, which allows me to summon from my hand at no cost any 'Martial Fighter' attacker with equal attack power to any 'Martial Fighter' on my field. I'll bring out 'Martial Fighter Akane'.”

Another woman, this one sporting short vivid red hair, a dark-gray gi, and a spear easily as tall as she was appeared, poised in a ready stance.

“'Martial Fighter Akane' has an effect that allows her to intercept any attack, as long as I have one or more 'Martial Fighter' attackers on the field. First things first: Close Fist effect on 'Martial Fighter Daiyu', boosting her to six attack power. And attack, followed by an attack from Akane!”

Daiyu stepped forward, quickly delivering precision strikes that penetrated the hard exterior of the crocodile-woman, before a final punch to her midsection sent her flying into the discard pile. Akane followed suit, dealing damage directly to Hunter-Tamer, bringing her down to a total of thirteen HP.

“That'll end my turn. You're tough, but I've fought tougher.”

“Tsk, you'll be taking that back shortly.” Glamazoness spat, and drew as Hunter-Tamer matched Liu in Charisma points. “Hehehehe, in fact, you'll be taking that back now.”

The Fae-kin's next card was one that Wendy wasn't expecting, though in retrospect she should have, considering Chetana had shown up as an attacker under an FIF deck's control. In a burst of cartoony stars, and with a delightful jiggle to her bountiful breasts, a woman with long, voluminous, wavy blonde hair that covered an eye appeared, wearing a dash of attractive blush and ruby red lipstick, and sporting a leather bustier with matching thigh-high heeled boots. Atop her floofy hair were two blonde, furry, cute bunny ears: she looked like an Amazon version of a bunny girl. And she also looked exactly like Patricia, though thankfully her face was partially obscured by sexy hair, so the association wouldn't be made over broadcast. At least that's what Wendy hoped.

“Heheh, 'Amazon's Spirited Lapin' is here~!” the bunnygirl giggled, hopping playfully in place and giving everyone a show of 'jiggle physics'.

Wendy gave a deadpan look that managed to pierce the blackened protective eyeplate of her helmet. “... even if I think the look fits her, you do realize that Yellow will probably want to kill you for this?”

“Hehehehe, well, what she wants doesn't matter. It's what the FIF desire of her, and what I desire of her. Isn't that right, my sexy bunny~?”

“Mmmh, absolutely~ Just command me, and I'll obey. I love to obey~” The mewl of desire only served to anger Wendy, but it wasn't her turn yet.

“She's at six attack power, and one heck of a pummeler~ But first and foremost, when 'Amazon's Spirited Lapin' is successfully played at cost, all attackers on the field have their attack power drop by two for the remainder of the time they're on the field, due to how she's such excellent eye candy~”

Akane and Daiyu blushed, distracted by the altered Patricia's charms as she blew a flirtatious kiss, and they both ticked down to two attack power.

“Spirited Lapin, attack and show what your second effect is~ Oh, and Hunter-Tamer, whip her into shape, she loves it~”

The whip cracked, and 'Amazon's Spirited Lapin' jolted ramrod straight as an aroused, glazed look overcame her features, accompanied by a submissive shudder. Her attack went to seven as she gave a powerful jumping kick at random. Akane intercepted the attack, only to be defeated and Liu dropping to sixteen HP. But then came Spirited Lapin's second effect, as she whipped out a leather bunny ear headband from between her breasts that slipped snugly onto Akane's head, and her attire changed into a skimpy leather bustier with matching thigh-high boots, much like Spirited Lapin's. Her pupils turned into hearts, and she joined Glamazoness's side.

“That's right, my cute pet brainwashes others with her loveliness and makes them want to be just like her~ Your fighter is mine, though she can't attack this turn and the attack point reduction stays permanent.”

“But she enjoys being a bun, and isn't that all that matters~?” Spirited Lapin cooed after snapping out of trance, booping the new bunnygirl on the nose with a finger.

Glamazoness ended her turn, and Wendy took her draw as Liu went up to eight Charisma. Looking down her opponent's field and seeing one of her teammates at Glamazoness's beck and call, and especially eager to obey, was disconcerting. But if the FIF were expecting Wendy to fall into indecision and have the clock run out on her, they would be sorely mistaken. Besides, Patricia was the type to appreciate initiative and going with your gut. She would understand that Wendy didn't have the time to weigh all the possibilities and consequences, and needed to just go for it. So Wendy did.

“First, I'll play 'Inner Ki Unleashed', sending Daiyu to the discard pile to play without cost an attack support three times her current attack.” A flash of light gave way to reveal an elegant-looking woman with a waterfall of raven black hair and a smoldering gaze, sporting an ornate kimono and wielding a wicked-looking glaive. “'Martial Master Chinami' makes her appearance, with six attack power. Then I'll activate the Closed Fist effect, boosting her to eight attack power, before playing the instant support card 'Shadow Doppelganger' for four Charisma, which allows me to duplicate any one 'Martial' attack support on the field and make two copies of them.”

Chinami seemed to glow a moment, then two clones of her slipped out from behind, each just as powerful as the original.

“Mmmh, she's hot~ She'd look even better all bunned up, though~” Spirited Lapin cooed.

Wendy smirked, “It's time for my attack. Sorry Yellow, but hopefully this snaps you out of whatever spell you're under.”

The original Chinami rushed in, and despite Spirited Lapin's efforts, she could not avoid the strike from her glaive. The transformed Ranger was sent to the discard pile, and Chinami followed through due to 'Follow-through' by striking down the Akane-Bun. Eight damage total had been dealt, and Glamazoness was now looking at another eighteen points of damage staring her down.

“Since you're going to lose this turn, you can do yourself a favor and tell me if my teammate is okay.”

“...is that an offer you're making?” Glamazoness smirked. “If it's an offer, then you should give me some incentive...”

“Wrong answer. Shadow Doppelgangers, take her commander down.”

The two temporary attackers rushed in, both glaives piercing Hunter-Tamer at the same time, and causing her to burst into golden dust.

“No, nNNOOOOo!! My gorgeous pets!” Glamazoness panicked, as a glow came from the discard pile and shot into Wendy's deck. The Ranger looked on in surprise, before Glamazoness gave a sob. “NO, MY FAVORITE!! GIVE LAPIN BACK! SHE WAS PERFE-”

Her words left her, as her visage began to disappear into gold and silver dust that blew away, starting from her outstretched hand that was reaching toward Wendy's deck. Almost instantly, Glamazoness turned into her normal self: an athletic-looking twenty-something guy with a shirt sporting a cute monster girl on it.

“...what...was I doing?” he muttered, and two of the crowd yelled out to him as they came to grab him.

“Carlos, dude, you were one of those fairy people... get over here before that dragon in the armor turns you into a slut!”

Silver Knight gave a grunt of dissatisfaction at the results, but promptly declared the winner. “The match goes to MagiTech Black! Her ante prize for the semi-finals is MagiTech Yellow.”

“Wait, what?!” Wendy almost didn't believe her ears, but she searched through her deck and found...

There she was. Sporting a black blindfold and short-cropped blonde hair and wearing a canary yellow kunoichi outfit with matching mouth-mask, there was a new attack support in Wendy's deck: 'Martial Fighter Ki-iro'. Yellow.

“Tch... well, that's a relief. But that means Green froze up for nothing.”

“Indeed. Your teammate has paid the price for her indecision.” Silver Knight commented. “This is no place to try and weigh the consequences of your actions during a match. You play your hand, you use your strategies, and do what you can to win. If we win, you Rangers are ours, as is everyone in this convention center, and soon after the city. If you win, you undo everything done here and things return to the way they were before the FIF arrived today. And no, it won't trigger a time loop where you and your team have to relieve this day until we win.”

He said that almost in an off-hand way, as if the accusation was one he was familiar with.

“That's awfully specific.” Wendy commented, getting a huff from the armored dragon. He returned to his seat, motioning for Wendy to leave the playing area, as the next match was about to begin.

“The final match of the semi-finals begins! Fae-me Fatale and Miss Yuki, take your places!”

The two Fae-kin approached the playing area, moving apart to face each other as they shot flirtatious winks and blew kisses at each other. Silver Knight chuckled at the sight.

“You may begin the match.”

Both were poised, before Wendy caught a coin being flipped into the air by Silver Knight.

“Heads.” An icy, breathy voice called, belonging to Miss Yuki, and Silver Knight clapped the coin as it landed atop his gauntlet. He gently picked it up, and it sported a pair of fox tails on the side he showed.

“Tails. Guess you lose, Miss Yuki~” he chuckled.

“Ah well. Two wins aren't bad. I hope you use those Rangers well against their friends, Fatale~”

“Ohohohoho~! I shall indeed~” She plucked an empty card, and Miss Yuki was sucked into it without much fanfare, along with two lights zooming from Yuki's deck into Fae-me Fatale's. Wendy was beside herself with anger.

“What the hell was that?!”

“That...” commented Silver Knight, “...was the match. In the event of two players on the same team facing each other in a match, a coin flip by me will decide the winner, since both victor and loser will still be on the same side. If any of you Rangers fought each other, I would have done the same, and you would have your opponent as part of your deck. We just never got to that point until now, and your team didn't need to know until it was relevant. Now, since that is out of the way...”

Silver Knight rose to his feet again, giving a dramatic gesture. “The finals of the Tournament of Will will commence! Fae-me Fatale versus MagiTech Black! Should Fae-me Fatale win, the Rangers and Cold Iron are ours! Should Black win, she wins her teammates back as attack supports for the championship match!”

Wendy shook her head. This was getting crazy now, but she had to pull through. For the team, and especially for Tetsuya. Fae-me Fatale stood poised, haughtily looking down upon the remaining Ranger, and Wendy strode forward with determination and swagger in her step. Among all the enemy players, she had seen Fatale's deck the least, but she surmised that it was one reliant more on a mix of support effects and her commander's effect. That 'Noble Jewel' deck could be problematic.

“Let's get this started.” Both players drew their opening hands, and Wendy went first.

End of Chapter 8


	12. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finals, championship match, and aftermath! Witness the thrilling conclusion to the Card Game Tournament arc!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 9: It's Time to...Draw Your Cards! The Great Card Game Tourney Arc, Part 6

'Martial Queen Liu' appeared beside Wendy as 'Noble Queen Gemma' appeared on Fae-me Fatale's side, and Wendy began to play her opening hand. A few of her cards were the same as her last match, which gave her a strong opening play this time around. She had to be cautious, however. Even if she had an advantage against the Noble Jewel's need to play active support cards, the summon potential of the deck was not to be underestimated. In addition to that commander effect...

“Here's a familiar sight for you: 'Martial Fighter Kenshin' and 'Open Palm, Closed Fist'. I'll give your commander two HP to restore to draw a card, but since she's at her max HP it doesn't do anything. Then I'll end my turn, and Kenshin goes up to four attack power since I didn't attack with him this turn.”

A lilting, haughty chuckle slipped from Fae-me Fatale's lips as she watched the play, though there was a hint of intimidation in her eyes. Then she drew a card, and that was replaced by a subtle curling of her lips as Gemma went up to six Charisma points.

“Mmmh, delightful. I thought my first turn was going to be one that would leave me at a disadvantage, but it seems that I was mistaken~ First, I'll play 'Today's Choice of Finery', then 'Queen's Crown Jewels'.” It was the same opening play that she made during her match with Tina, and it had Wendy worried as to what she was about to do. She activated its effects, sending her just-drawn card back to her deck to grab 'Noble Jewel Amethyst'.

“Don't think I didn't catch your cheat against Tina.” Wendy responded. “That's not going to fly here, the effect of those cards doesn't allow you to play the card you just retrieved.”

“Oh, caught that didn't you~? Shame...” Fatale gave a faux pout. “Then I guess you'll have to play a new addition to my deck. But first, the card I returned to my deck was 'Noble Jewel Quartz'. When this attack support is sent back to the deck by card effect, I can summon her from the deck at no cost!”

In a flash, a womanly figure made of a clear semi-precious stone appeared, sporting two attack power. Not enough to impress Wendy, but she knew the other shoe was about to drop.

“Then, using 'Queen's Crown Jewels', I'll bring out another Noble Jewel at no cost! You might recognize this one, my dear~ Come forth, Noble Jewel Khrome Diopside, at four attack power!”

Another flash occurred, and a shapely woman made of deep green gem with straight hair down to her shoulders appeared. Wendy took note of the shape of her face and that her hips and thighs were a bit curvier than the others, and realized it was Katherine.

“You bitch...!”

“Ohohohohohoho~! Here's where you have to fight your friends, my dear!” Fatale taunted. “But first, Khrome Diopside's effect! Her stunning beauty can target one attack support on the field and leave them transfixed by her beauty, lowering their attack power by one! Khrome, show your moves~”

The enthralled gemified Katherine began a sultry belly dance, shaking her hips and rear in an alluring fashion which hearkened back to her time as Harem Green. A light green glow came over Kenshin's eyes, and his attack dropped.

“Now, attack girls!”

Khrome Diopside attacked, striking down Kenshin with a blow before miming a blown kiss at Wendy. Then Quartz followed up with her attack, hitting Liu directly for another two damage, bringing her down to twenty-two HP. Having dealt damage, 'Noble Queen Gemma' gained two gem counters for each attack support doing damage.

“mmm, I think that will end my turn~” With a purr and a smile, Fatale's turn was over and Wendy drew a card. She needed to remove both those permanent support cards to dent into her opponent's summon spam, but her conversion ability was also troublesome. The tactic to spam summons without cost, deal damage, and control by denying attackers while adding to her own was a strong one in this game. But the card Wendy just drew was going to be of help, right as Liu's Charisma went to six.

“Alright Yellow, time to put you to the test.” Wendy first played 'Follow-through', then followed it up with a flash of yellow light as 'Martial Fighter Ki-iro' appeared. The woman appeared a bit confused, then looked down at herself before patting herself over, looking around at her surroundings, then turning to Wendy.

“Ahhhhhh! What happened! Why am I a ninja?! And how come... oh geez, is that Green?”

“Yeah, but the timing on drawing you was perfect.” Wendy responded. “When a uniquely named attack support is on the field, I can play you without cost. You've got some useful effects, and you're at four attack power.”

“Hey! Don't talk to me like this is a casual conversation! I'M A FREAKING CARD! AND WHY AM I ONLY AT FOUR?!” Ki-iro held a hand to her head, groaning. “Ah man... this is so weird...”

“You're telling me. Anyway, if we want to get through this, you're going to have to trust me.” Wendy then took a look at another card she had, deciding to play it as well. “You're getting some support too. I'll play 'Martial Fighter Jun', using up the rest of Liu's charisma.”

Another woman joined the field, dressed in a qipao and wielding nunchucks.

“When Jun comes to the field, I can choose to activate the effect of any support effect on my side of the field a second time. Next, Closed Fist effect on Ki-iro.”

A welling of power filled Ki-iro as she saw herself enveloped in an aura of strength.

“wow... this is kind of cool.”

“This is the part where you attack, Yellow.”

“Oh, right!” Ki-iro turned to face her opponent, quickly taking off like a shot as she delivered a fast kick to Khrome Diopside.

“Sorry Green! You'll thank me later!”

The shapely gem woman groaned as she vanished, sent to the discard pile as 'Follow-through''s effect kicked in and let Ki-iro lash out with another strike on Quartz, shattering her into dust. Both of Fatale's support cards returned to her hand.

“Woah! Okay, that was pretty badass!”

“Next, Jun attacks!” Wendy called out, the other fighter spinning her nunchucks before striking Gemma.

“Tch! No matter. You only did eleven damage. I'm still in the game.” Fatale scoffed, but then looked at Gemma's HP and saw that it was at six, not seven. “Wh-what is this?!”

“Ah, Ki-iro's other effect!” Wendy chimed. “When she successfully takes out an opposing attack support, she permanently gains one attack point. She beat two of yours, so now she's permanently at six.”

“So much damage, and I can't...” Fatale mumbled. “No matter! I have my ways. You'll find out soon. I suppose that's the end of your turn?”

“Yes.” Wendy had no other moves, so she was forced to end there. She dreaded what Fatale might draw next, and the look on Fatale's face when she did draw told her everything she needed to know, as Gemma went up to seven Charisma points.

“Oh dear~ Oh dear, oh dear~ You got me good, I'll give you that. But now your luck has taken a turn for the worst~” Fatale looked at Gemma's Charisma and grinned. “Just enough~ To play 'Noble Jewel Diamond~”

In a flash, a brilliant, dazzling woman made of pure diamond appeared, sparkling and refracting light like it shone from within her. She sported seven attack power, more than enough to take out Ki-iro at this rate. But Fatale wasn't done yet.

“If I have no other Noble Jewel attack supports on my side of the field, I can activate Diamond's effect: she summons two other Noble Jewel attack supports to my side of the field from my deck, but each of their attack power cannot be equal to or greater than hers. So here they come~”

In another flash, two more figures appeared, one a dark red gem-woman, the other a brilliant cobalt blue gem-woman. Both were dazzling to the eyes, and both were posed provocatively towards Ki-iro, beckoning to her.

“'Noble Jewel Chyanite' and 'Noble Jewel GarneTina'~ Chyanite is at five attack power, and GarneTina is the same. But first, their effects! When Chyanite is successfully played, Gemma automatically gets a gem counter! And GarneTina allows me to choose one attack support on the field to focus her energies into, before a blast hits you for damage equal to their attack power! GarneTina, use your power to let Diamond burn her commander!”

With a flip of her hair, GarneTina holds her hands up, charging brilliant red energy into Diamond, which is quickly released into a beam that strikes Liu for seven damage, bringing her down to fifteen HP.

“Now for the fun part~ GarneTina, attack her weaker attack support, then we'll have Gemma lay claim to another Ranger for my deck~”

With a roll of her hips, GarneTina poses, and fires a blast of deep red energy at Jun, defeating her and sending her to the discard pile while Liu drops to thirteen HP. A fourth counter appears, a stunning red stone, and Fae-me Fatale lustfully laughs.

“Now, come to me, little ninja. It's time to polish you and make you shine as one of my own~ Gemma, activate your effect!”

“Not so fast!” Wendy exclaimed, and played a support card. “Indomitable Will can be played when an effect my opponent controls that would turn control of one of my attack supports is activated! This works on either of our turns! For five HP, I can negate that effect!”

Liu focuses, sacrificing some of her health to power the card, and the multi-colored beam that was set to convert Ki-iro into another Noble Jewel fizzles before it can reach her. Ki-iro had her arms raised in defense with her eyes shut in anticipation, but when the effect was negated she relaxed and sighed in relief.

“Okay, you scared me pretty bad there, Black. Please don't do that again, I don't know if I can handle the strain on my heart!”

Wendy shook her head in amusement, but that moment was broken as a cry of rage pealed out from Fatale.

“No, NO NO! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MINE JUST THEN! DAMN YOU! Fine, I guess you'll just have to suffer with having your commander's HP drop the un-fun way! Diamond, take out her damnable ninja!”

Diamond posed, framed by the other two enthralled gem-Rangers, but as a beam of radiant power shot towards Ki-iro, Wendy interrupted again.

“Just like 'Indomitable Will', Jun's effect is a reactive effect, allowing me to activate it in response to any move you make as long as the criteria are met! In this case, I'll activate the Closed Fist effect of 'Open Palm, Closed Fist', boosting Ki-iro by two attack power! She's now one point higher in attack power than Diamond! Since this is being activated during damage calculation, you cannot call off your attack!”

A sudden aura of power filled Ki-iro, and she blocked the beam of radiant energy, knocking it aside before flipping over to strike Diamond with a double-heeled drop-kick in her chest. The powerful Noble Jewel shattered from the blow, and Gemma went down to five HP as another permanent point of attack power was added to Ki-iro.

“NO NO NO NO, THIS ISN'T HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO!” Fatale screamed. But Wendy was nonplussed by her outburst. “I'll... I'll... !”

“You'll do nothing. Nothing you have on the field will take out Ki-iro this turn. And next turn, 'Follow-through' and the Closed Fist effect will deal more than enough damage to end the fight.” Wendy posed confidently, smiling at Ki-iro. “The writing is on the wall, Fae-kin. You're losing next turn. Do you yield? Or are you going to waste my time?”

Fatale bit her lip hatefully, but she knew Wendy was right. She had the match. With a shuddering groan, she gave the signal of her surrendering the match. Silver Knight took a moment to give her a look, before standing up.

“The match has been decided. MagiTech Black is the victor of the finals, and will face the champion, Tsuya!”

Fae-me Fatale gave another low groan, and as Patricia returned to Wendy's deck, a trio of red, green, and blue lights shot into her deck as well. But Fatale was about to faint, and Wendy rushed over to grab the player that she turned back into.

“Geez, a lot of guys you turned into women...” Wendy muttered, and brought the weakened player over to the crowd of civilians who were still held hostage.

Silver Knight returned to his seat while Tsuya appearing from backstage with a giggle and twirl.

“Heya cuz! Hope you liked your wins, because you're about to get one heck of a beat-down! Maybe I'll make you into a Fae-kin sister unit instead of a card in my deck, hehe~”

Wendy said nothing, and reshuffled her deck as Tsuya approached with her deck in hand.

“Hope you don't mind, but since I'm the champion, I get to decide who goes first. And it'll be me~”

“That's fine... “ Wendy was hesitant to use Tsuya's real name, but at that moment Silver Knight called out.

“Kill the feed.” He gave a glare to those fae soldiers controlling the livestream, and they did as ordered. Once the stream was terminated, Silver Knight turned his attention to the two players.

“What's the deal? I thought you wanted to televise the Rangers being beaten?” Wendy asked.

“I did.” With a scoff, he paws at one of his concubines, but the glee he showcased earlier was gone. “But you've made enough of a demonstration that the human spirit is tough to dominate that everyone watching is resisting our efforts to influence their perceptions. The flow of conceptual energy slowed to a crawl after your win in the finals, and cutting off the feed will feed into insecurities. That's of better use to me right now than a back and forth with human spirit at its highs.

“fufufufufu~ Silver Kniiiiiiight~”

“That voice...” Wendy turned to see Kyoko standing only six feet behind her, and she backed away to where she could have Tsuya, Silver Knight, and Kyoko in visual range. Silver Knight immediately took a knee in deference, bowing his head.

“Kyoko-dono.”

“I wonder...” Kyoko mused. “Why is it that you'd let yourself be rattled so by one of the Rangers? Do you doubt the abilities of Tsuya? Or is it that you're trying to cover your bases~?”

“The latter, Lady Kyoko.” he promptly replied.

“Hhmmm... very well. I am disappointed in your decision, and our dearest leader will likely seek to punish you for this... but if you find that acceptable, then you may carry on.”

“What the hell is all this?” Wendy demanded, focusing her attention on the fox-like fae. “So the FIF cower when faced with an actual challenge?”

Kyoko gave her a steely glare that didn't match her mirthful smile, and a shudder passed over Wendy's frame. “Girl, do not assume to understand the affairs of the fae. As much as I find you Rangers entertaining, I am not against teaching you where your rightful place is. Don't forget that.”

Wendy offered no retort, taking the hint that this particular fae was a great deal stronger than she let on. It was best not to press her luck.

“Enjoy your match, MagiTech Black~ Fufufufufu~” And just like that, Kyoko disappeared in a small flurry of snow.

“Mmmm, Mistress Kyoko is wonderful~” Tsuya cooed, turning her attention back to Wendy. “Alright cuz, you ready to play? Because I've got a load of surprises for you! This deck is specially designed by the FIF! There's no way I'll lose!”

Her spirit began to flare up at the challenge, and Wendy took her position. Despite the interruption, she was ready to go, and as she drew her hand and Liu appeared, Tsuya drew her opening hand and revealed her commander: a robotic-looking woman, sporting eggshell white skin with black lines trailing from her eyes and along her joints. She appeared to be wearing a black bodice that covered the lower half of her breasts, before Wendy realized that it was a part of the gynoid, matching black arm-length 'gloves' and thigh-high heeled 'boots' that were also a part of her. Her hair flared back into a long, blue wave of plasma that slicked downward, making it appear her hair was made of pure energy. Her irises were an electric glowing blue contrasting black sclera, and her lips were the same black as the bodice and other parts of her body.

“Cyber Mistress Sevra is my commander! And she's really strong, too, at thirty HP and six Charisma! She's also got two special effects!”

Wendy's eyes widened at that. Those stats were ridiculous! There's no way Sorcerer's Guild would approve this for competitive! She eyed her deck, knowing her team was with her. But considering everything, Tsuya probably had a number of ways to turn them against her, like the Fae had been doing this entire tournament. No, she needed to do more than put her faith in her team and her deck. She needed to try and bring Tetsuya back to his senses.

“Tsuya, this isn't you.” she said. “Where's your pride in playing this game? You'd never play with a deck that wasn't sanctioned.”

“Hehehe, all's fair in turning silly humes into sexy fae~”

Wendy narrowed her eyes, getting an edge to her tone. “No. You told me there was no point in a match if one side had a huge advantage over another. You told me that wasn't a match, that was just showing off, which shows how poor of character a player is.”

“Aww... you're hurting my feelings cuz. Keep this up and I won't make you my sister unit.” Tsuya replied. “Enough talk, though, time for my first move!”

She played an attack support first: 'Cyber Fighter Nano' appeared, sporting a measly one attack power, but Wendy's assumptions that it was more than it appeared was confirmed when the simple-looking augmented woman allowed Tsuya to fetch a support card. The Fae-kin played it next, revealing it to be a permanent support card called 'Nanite Production Factory', which cost five charisma points.

“'Nanite Production Factory' is a special support card. When played, it gains a counter on it, and once per my upkeep phase I can place a counter on it. It also gains a counter whenever I deal damage to your commander's HP and when one of my attack supports is defeated and sent to the discard pile. If an effect targets it, I can remove a counter to negate that effect. When it has four or more counters on it, I can remove four of them to convert an attack support on your side of the field into a special attacker I can use~”

Yet another effect that turns her attackers against her. And it was far trickier than 'Noble Queen Gemma''s was, which meant that she had to be quick about removing it. The good thing was that it was costly, so if Wendy could sent it back to Tsuya's hand with Liu's effect, it would mean that Tsuya would have to waste a great deal of Charisma points to have that level of field presence again.

“And this is where Sevra's first effect kicks in! Any card with 'Production' or 'Factory' in its name has its effect doubled! She is in charge of my legions, after all~”

And that made things worse. Now Tsuya could have four or more counters generated in a single turn. This was going to be an uphill battle.

“That ends my turn~”

Wendy drew her card, watching Liu tick up to six Charisma as she formulated a plan. In the meantime, she tried to also appeal to whatever humanity may be left in the Fae-kin.

“Tsuya... no, Tetsuya. You always hated it when I called you that nickname. You didn't think it was proper. Reducing your name like that... I guess you considered it disrespectful. Considering the background you grew up in, I can see why now. Uncle was always strict about that, decorum and showing respect to an opponent.”

Was that a flicker of annoyance that crossed Tsuya's eyes? Maybe... something else...

“From here on, I'm calling you by your proper name. No more 'Tsuya, just Tetsuya. I owe you that much.”

“Heheh~” The cute gynoid giggled. “But you're too late! I'm Tsuya now! And I don't want to go back to being a boring old hume!”

“What would uncle think about that?” Wendy responded. “Your father, the man who accepted that your keen mind and eye for technology was a strength in of itself as you grew older? Sure, he enjoyed training me, and maybe he saw in me something he wanted for you... but he also knew that mental strength was important. Having a clear vision for your future was something to be admired, and I know he said he was proud of you when you chose the path you wanted to take in life.”

“Nngh, stop talking and make your play, cuz.”

Wendy sighed at the reaction. Okay, she wouldn't push it further. Besides, she had a limited amount of time to make her plays before she got DQ'd.

“First off, I'll play 'Open Palm, Closed Fist', then play 'Martial Fighter Ichiro'. I'll then use the Open Palm effect to draw a card and restore your commander's HP, although it does nothing since she's at full HP.”

Her eyes widened at the card she drew. 'Martial Fighter Midori', a green-clad ninja with green hair, her eyes concealed with a black cloth, and sporting a bow with a quiver of arrows. Katherine had made her way to Wendy's side. And she was sporting four attack power. She couldn't play her yet, though, but... knowing she was there made her feel a bit more confident.

Wait, that second effect...

“Katherine, you might've just bought me some breathing room. First, though... Ichiro powers up with Closed Fist and attacks Nano!” The fighter rushes in, striking the gynoid and sending it to the discard pile, which led to the production factory getting two counters on it, as well as Sevra dropping to twenty-seven HP.

“Ooooh, three points of damage~ What will I doooo~?” Tsuya mocked. Wendy ended her turn, and the gynoid Fae-kin drew as Sevra went to seven Charisma points, while the production factory gained another two counters.

“Hehehe, four counters! But I won't bother using its effect on your silly fighter, he's not the kind of materials I'm looking for! But I will do this!”

First, she brought out a new attacker: 'Cyber Sorceress Kilo', sporting three attack power and a burn effect when played. Liu took three points of burn damage, before Kilo played a support card called 'Overclocked Mass Produced Units', which duplicated Kilo and created two new copies of her that did the same effect, reducing Liu to sixteen HP.

“It's building up~” she teases, then attacking with all three to deal another seven points of damage, leaving Liu with just nine HP as Ichiro was sent to the discard pile. “Heeheehee~ You're sooooo close to losing now, cuz~ Why not just give up~?”

“Because you taught me that the game isn't over until you have your win condition to reduce an opponent to zero HP, or decking them out, or sending their commander to the discard pile through battle. Remember that?”

“Ggh, you're so frustrating!” Tsuya pouted. “I'll end my turn!” The copies of Kilo vanished, only lasting for that turn.

Wendy drew her next card as Liu went to seven Charisma, and... geez, picked a good time to show up now, didn't you Chetana? Another ninja, clad in blue and her face sporting an oni mask, with the name 'Martial Fighter Aoi', had been drawn. Three attack... thus far, she was the weakest in attack power among her team, but she had one hell of an effect worth playing. It was time to get serious.

“It's sad, you know. You're relying on the power that the FIF have forced upon you, but they don't really care about you. You're just a tool to them to get at me, and the rest of this city, Tetsuya.”

“You talk too much.” That sounded like there was a brief hitch in her voice.

“But I'm not alone. My team is here, coming to my aid. It's not just about strength in numbers or the power you have... it's about what you do with that power. We're here to ensure that humanity can choose its future, a liberty that has been taken from you.”

“Shut up!” Tsuya hissed through gritted teeth. “I'm beautiful! I'm eternal! I'm powerful! I have everything I need to live a life of happiness and bliss!”

“No, you're just living out the fantasies of those controlling you.”

That remark took the breath out of Tsuya, who blinked, dumbfounded at the depth of the statement. Wendy knew she got through that time; Tetsuya felt that. That was the proof she needed to know that those turned into Fae-kin weren't completely out of reach.

“I'll use up all of Liu's charisma to bring out 'Martial Fighter Aoi' and 'Martial Fighter Midori'. When Aoi is successfully played, I can search my deck for any two 'Martial Fighter' attack supports. Once per turn, she can also restore my commander by three HP for every 'Martial Fighter' on my side of the field.”

A bit of Liu's strength returned, bringing her up to fifteen HP. Wendy grabbed 'Martial Fighter Ki-iro', and then Tina, named 'Martial Fighter Akai', who had five attack power and...

Well, a very potent effect that was very circumstantial. But it might just work in a tight spot...

“Next, 'Martial Fighter Midori''s effect activates. Once per turn, I can target one of your attack supports and prevent them from attacking and being used as materials for playing other attack supports until the end of your next turn. Your Kilo is now stuck, and a target. Not to mention, when Midori uses this effect, all 'Martial Fighter' attack supports on my side of the field can attack your commander directly. I'll boost Midori with the Closed Fist effect! Get'em, team!”

Midori and Aoi took aim at Sevra, dealing nine damage to the commander and bringing her down to eighteen HP. Wendy and Tsuya's commanders were now close to even in HP totals. Her turn at an end, she watched what Tsuya would do next.

“My fantasies... are not my fantasies... but...”

She was muttering to herself, still lost in thought. Did she even pay attention to the damage her commander took? Or anything Wendy did? The happy gynoid was now uncertain, her processor in a logic loop that she was struggling to get out of.

“Tsuya, if you do not draw a card and make a play in the next minute, you will be disqualified.” Silver Knight called out. “...Tsuya!”

That yell snapped her out of her loop, and she drew as two more counters were generated on her production factory. Eight in total, equal to the total Charisma Sevra now had. Wendy realized her blunder, and Tsuya soon realized that she had some fun awaiting her.

“Heheheheh~ Thank you for those lovely, delightful materials you brought out, cuz~ Maybe I was wrong, maybe you subconsciously admire my cuteness and grace, and want to be perfected~ Well, you'll have to wait your turn, because two of your teammates are up first~! I'll use eight counters to convert 'Martial Fighter Midori' and 'Martial Fighter Aoi' into my personal attack supports!”

Midori turned to Wendy, her lips the only means of facial expression. But... she didn't seem worried.

“We trust you, Wendy. You have what you need to win. Do what you have to to take us away from her.”

Aoi nodded, adding, “You've done well so far. I'm... scared to return to being used, but I have confidence in you.”

Then a swarm of nanites emerged from the production factory, covering the two in shiny metal cocoons as they zoomed back over to Tsuya's side. The cocoons shuddered and warped, before melding into themselves and taking on the appearance of identical shapely, sexy gynoids. Both were modeled off of Sevra, yet were clearly intended to appeal to more base urges. However, they also showed signs of augmentation to serve in combat, in addition to retaining their colors as Rangers.

“I give you 'Pleasure Combat Unit K-a v. Green' and 'Pleasure Combat Unit c-H v. Blue'~” The two new gynoids posed, flirtatious in their looks and caressing their curves as they phased in modified weapons based off their own Ranger weapons.

“Shit, even their weapons were repurposed?” Wendy growled, getting a giggle from her opponent.

“Yep! So much for your 'team supporting you'! Funny how that loyalty and strength can so easily be twisted to serve the FIF! All of you will join them soon enough! Shame their attack power didn't increase, but oh well! However... this is where the fun starts! They have special effects too! Any PCU attack support can send a random card from your hand to the discard pile when they deal damage to your commander! And since she's wide open...~”

The two sexy gynoid versions of her teammates picked up on their Mistress's will, and struck out at Liu, dealing seven points of HP damage total. Two cards glowed in Wendy's hand as they were sent to the discard pile, while Liu was down to eight HP.

But Wendy was oddly chuckling.

“Hey, why are you laughing?!”

Wendy shook her head. “I think you're not as into this as you thought. You didn't play anything before attacking!”

Tsuya grimaced, realizing her blunder, and Wendy kept going. “I knew it. You know this isn't what you really want. This is just what they want you to want, so they can puppeteer you and use you. Would you really want to cause me such pain? Just think about it. You care for family, don't you?”

“Yes... which is why you should all join the FIF!”

“But we don't want to. We see you being forced into this, and you hesitated just a moment ago. You're suffering, even if its a kernel of suffering. And despite-”

“No, NO NO! SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE, IT'S YOUR TURN!”

Wendy took her draw before Silver Knight could correct Tsuya, and Liu's Charisma went to eight. Tetsuya was fighting himself...herself... okay, that was confusing, just go with herself for now. Besides, this was coming down to the wire. The next two to three turns would decide the match, she knew that.

“You're... playing with my head! I didn't even play anything that turn!” Tsuya whined.

“I'm not doing anything other than appealing to the real you. And so much for luck on your part, that discard effect didn't stop what's coming!” The confidence and determination in Wendy's voice shook her opponent a bit more as Wendy made her plays. “First, since there is a uniquely-named attack support on your side of the field, I can play 'Martial Fighter Ki-iro' without cost! Then I'll play 'Martial Fighter Akai' for five Charisma, followed by 'Follow-through'!”

In a flash, Ki-iro appeared, joined with a woman with vivid red hair in a ponytail, wearing a half-mask with a flame motif that matched her red ninja bodysuit.

“Hey wait, Red! Why do you get the cool and sexy bodysuit?!” Ki-iro looked over Akai, who scoffed in frustration.

“Yellow...now's not the time for that! And Black? We've seen the whole thing. Hang in there, I have your back to the end.”

“Heh, thanks for the vote of confidence, leader-lady. You looked good as a gem statue lady, though, I think you not talking is a good thing!” Wendy mocked.

“Ngh... just... don't bring that up again, okay?” Akai blushed.

Tsuya grew irritated by the banter. “Enough talking! Make your play so I can take the rest of your team!”

“Geez... your cousin, right?” Ki-iro motioned with her thumb. “Kind of cranky.”

“That's because I think I'm getting through to her.” Wendy smirked.

“Getting throu- ahhhh~ Got it!” Ki-iro gave a thumbs up before turning around. Akai nodded alongside her companion.

“Whenever you're ready.”

“Alright then.” Wendy popped her neck. “First off, Closed Fist effect on Ki-iro, then attack your PCUs with her, first Blue, then Green! Remember, every time Ki-iro successfully defeats an opposing attack support in battle, her attack goes up permanently by one!”

Ki-iro lashed out, taking out the converted Chetana and Katherine, offering apologies both times as she did so, dealing six HP damage total.

“And since you had no counters on your production factory during the first battle, it goes back to your hand! Now, Akai, follow it up with an attack on Kilo!”

With a blazing punch, Akai hit Sevra directly, reducing her total HP to nine.

“I'm all out of moves, so that ends my turn.”

“MMNNhhhhghh!!!” Tsuya was positively shaking now, and drew a card as Sevra went to nine Charisma. “That does it! I'm ending this now! First, I'll play my production factory for five Charisma points, and then bring Sevra to the field!”

That move shocked Wendy, it was so unlike Tetsuya to make such a risky move. The cocky, attractive gynoid commander stepped lithely onto the field, sporting nine attack power. Even with Ki-iro's boost, she was only at six, and the Closed Fist effect only lasted during Wendy's turn. This wasn't good.

“Next, I'll use Sevra's second effect! During my turn, I can use two Charisma points per attack support to re-play them from the discard pile! Come out PCU Blue and PCU Green!”

Once again, Chetana and Katherine were brought back under FIF control, smirking and winking at Ki-iro and Akai.

“You'll love it as one of us, Red~”

“Indeed~ Yellow will take well to being a lovely, pleasurable gynoid~”

“Okay... please stop being so sexy, you two...” Ki-iro blushed and stiffened up a little. Akai meanwhile silently signaled Wendy to do what she had planned now.

“Hold it! Akai's ignition effect activates! During either of our turns, when you play uniquely-named attack supports, she automatically sends them back to the discard pile! Pillars of Fire, go!”

At Wendy's command, Akai summoned her wrist-mounted claws, slashing blazing fire into the ground beneath Blue and Green. They were engulfed in fire, returned back to the discard pile and undoing Sevra's summoning effect.

Tsuya was almost in hysterics at this point. “No, NO! DAMMIT WENDY, JUST LET ME WIN! SEVRA, ATTACK HER A- wait, no! Factory and Sevra's effect, right! Convert Ki-iro first!”

“Aw, dammit...” were the last words Ki-iro said as the nanites swarmed her and formed a shiny cocoon, floating back to Tsuya's side as she was converted into yet another Pleasure Combat Unit.

“Say hello to 'Pleasure Combat Unit P-A v. Yellow'~” Tsuya taunted.

“Mmmh, you're right, I do feel delicious~ So sexy~” Yellow purred, admiring her curves and groping her breasts with a moan, before summoning a cybernetic-looking version of her warhammer. “You'll enjoy it, Red, I guarantee it. Then we can be sexy gynoids together~”

“Alright... alright...” Tsuya was trying to gather herself, calming down a little, and grinning widely. “I've got you, cuz. This next attack will win it for me, and then we can be a fun, sexy little family in service to the FIF~”

“That's not what you really want. You don't want to bend others into accepting you. You want to prove that you can be accepted, that you're more than your background and family, while still honoring them.” Wendy flatly retorted, and Tsuya's eyes widened.

“N-no, I...”

“That's why you came to America, Tetsuya.” Wendy was keeping things matter-of-fact now. “Despite your dad's initial disapproval, you got him to come around. You showed that you had strength and integrity. Just a different kind from what your dad was raised with, what I embraced. And... you showed that to me, long before your dad came around. Don't you remember?”

Tsuya said nothing, but her gaze was locked to Wendy's. Wendy knew she had Tsuya's undivided attention.

“I thought this was just a dumb game for weak nerds when I first saw you playing it with your friends. But you managed to convince me that it wasn't, that it had its own claim to the spirit of competition. Playing all those different decks with you, all those themes, all those battles... I learned that a fight was just as much about mental fortitude and out-thinking your opponent as having strength and stamina to tangle with them and deck them. You showed me that. If it weren't for that, then I wouldn't be as good an MMA fighter as I am today.”

“...you...really mean that...” Tsuya looked a little stunned, and if anyone was paying attention... the gold and silver glittering sparkles that denoted her as a Fae-kin were duller than before.

“Yes, I do. And I remember our conversations over the years since the last time we played against each other. How excited you were to go to the Japanese National Championships, how you won! And then you got to the international circuit and lost a ways into the world championship. I know how that crushed your spirit. But then you saw me struggle in a match and... somehow I came out on top. And I told the reporter that it was a lesson from my cousin, Tetsuya, that kept me in the game and helped me to endure my opponent until I could beat her.”

“Yeah... I did see that...” The sparkles were faint now.

“You were looking forward to meeting again after all these years. You wanted to meet up again, not for lunch, but to show me that you still had it. I know, I'm not stupid, Tetsuya. You wanted me to meet you as you beat this regional tournament. But this isn't how it was supposed to go. You know that...”

Tsuya looked downcast, and Wendy heard a sniffle come from her. Then a second one, and then...

Tsuya phased out, and Tetsuya was standing there.

“...I...you're really here.” Wendy wasn't sure if that line was from her or Tetsuya. But it didn't matter.

“I... don't know how this happened, Wendy. I was playing a game... it was against a pretty blonde girl... and then... I just felt cold, and my mind was numb... and from there, I...”

“Unbelievable...” Silver Knight growled. He got up from his makeshift throne, striding over to Tetsuya, and grabbed him by his hair. “If you recall, Tetsuya Urashima, YOU'RE STILL UNDER CONTRACT.”

“No, please don't...!” But his voice cut off as an icy blue glow filled his vision, and the influence of the Fae reclaimed him.

“Tetsuya, no!” She was so close! He was about to end this, and...

“Tetsuya Urashima. As per your contract with the Fae, you are obligated to finish this match. You are to obey, utterly and completely. Do you understand?”

“...yes...I understand...”

“Then finish it.”

“You forgot one thing, Silver Knight.” Wendy interrupted, and the draconic knight turned his attention to her with an irritated huff.

“And what is that, MagiTech Black? What could you possibly have to say to prevent our victory? In fact, cameras back on. I want this streamed for posterity.”

The fae soldiers did as commanded, and the stream was back on, relaying Tetsuya Urashima about to deliver the blow that would bring Cold Iron under Fae rule, with MagiTech Black about to lose...

“So, tell me, MagiTech Black? What pathetic excuse can you muster that will be crushed under your loss?”

Wendy smirked behind her helmet, brought her wrist up, and tapped it twice.

“Two minutes.”

Silver Knight looked nonplussed. “...and?”

“That was two minutes without a play. Tetsuya's disqualified.”

As he let out a roar in frustration, the magic surrounding the entire place shattered. The glow in Tetsuya's eyes broke as he passed out, and the four other Rangers popped back to their normal forms, weakened but able to get to their feet. Wendy was quick to run towards Tetsuya to get him away from Silver Knight, but with the geas field deactivated with the FIF's loss, his spear zoomed to his hand and he slashed down to block the way.

“Unbelievable. Somehow, you outplayed a champion. Somehow, you pulled a victory out of your ass. Somehow, you managed to make A COMPLETE AND UTTER FOOL OF ME!” Another roar came as his spear's tip whipped towards Wendy, and she had to backflip away from the attack to avoid being slashed. She could feel the sheer force behind the blow, and she didn't want to have to be on the receiving end of any of that. Especially without a weapon to stop it.

...of course, she had to be the only one among the Rangers without a weapon yet.

“Red! Green! Blue! Yellow! Come on, I need some back-up here!”

“S-sorry, Black! I'm...kind of drained... I think it's from being carded...” Patricia called out.

“Great, so I'm gonna get skewered and we all lose anyway? Bunch of bull...”

“Miss Urashima.” Dr. Bohra's voice finally came back over comms.

“ABOUT DAMN TIME!”

“We'll deal with the issues regarding communications later. Right now, I need you to visualize a weapon.”

“Kind of busy!”

“Anything, just focus on a weapon to parry or give yourself distance.”

“...well damn, I think I have one in mind.”

A few more dodges leading Silver Knight away from the crowds of civilians, and Wendy ran up a wall onto a nearby pole, spinning down it a ways before squatting on it with her hands gripped to it, then springing off her feet as she used the visualization of the pole to conceptualize her own weapon. Landing on her feet, she now had a four foot long polearm, colored black to match her suit.

“Cute. But that won't save you.” Silver Knight said menacingly, closing in quickly in pursuit. “I just need one hit to knock you out of your attire, and then I'll cart you and the others off to be converted.”

“Think again.” Suddenly, the polearm extended in less than a second to hit Silver Knight in the chin, knocking him back with whiplash as he had to use his own massive spear to stop himself from falling on his back.

“Bitch.”

“You bet I am.” The tip of the polearm then extended to create a foot-long blade made of pure energy. “Huh... guess that does work. Awesome.”

“DRILL SPIN CLAW!” Tina flew forward as she focused her energy into a drill attack using her claws, hitting Silver Knight on his side and knocking him over.

“What the_!? What is this, how do you still hav- UGH!”

An aimed shot whiplashed his head again as it blasted off his helmet. Katherine was in position with her own weapon, and Silver Knight was in clear sight.

“...you should give up now.” a playful voice said from behind Silver Knight. He turned around, only to see Patricia with her warhammer positioned like she was about to knock out a home run.

“SWING BATTA-BATTA!!”

The resounding crack was felt throughout the convention center's auditorium, followed by the sound of falling debris as the draconic fighter was sent flying out of the building in a cartoonish way. The fae soldiers looked at each other, then disappeared into flashes of snow.

“...I think...” Chetana panted. “...that's it.”

The civilians inside cheered wildly, and people who had caught the stream's return did the same. A surge of strength returned to the Rangers, who looked a little dumbfounded as they felt themselves recharged and renewed.

“Whoa...what was that?” Patricia checked herself over. “Just a sec ago, I was about to fall on the ground from putting my all into that hit, and now...”

“It's the power of humanity's conceptual energies.” Dr. Bohra said over the comms. “...despite things becoming a near catastrophe, you all pulled through, and you've won the admiration of the entire city in the process. I think their faith in you has also improved your capabilities, but we'll have to research the extent of what that entails.”

“What about those who were converted by Silver Knight?” Katherine asked, looking around for the dragon girl concubines, and spotting a group of normal people shaking their heads in confusion around Silver Knight's 'throne'. It was now a normal fold-out chair.

“All civilians who were turned into Fae-kin and Fae-touched have reverted back to normal. It seems that Silver Knight kept his promise.” Dr. Bohra rubbed her brow. “Return to base as soon as possible. We'll have agents ensure that Tetsuya Urashima is kept safe and brought in for analysis and recovery.”

“Understood.” Tina replied. “You heard her, we've got to get going.”

“I think we should attend to our fans first.” Wendy quipped. And indeed, the five Rangers were being surrounded, dozens of questions being fired off at once.

“Alright, alright! One moment everyone!” Tina stepped forward. “While we would like to answer your questions, we need to recharge our powers. Ah-ah...! Not right now. Do not worry, the Fae Invasion Forces have been held at bay once again.”

“As long as we're here, though, you have nothing to fear!” Patricia added, giving a thumbs up.

“We've got each other's backs, as you can see.” Wendy shrugged, but silently grinned.

It was then that the police started to come in, along with government agents, escorting people out of the auditorium while attending to those who were passed out, including Tetsuya.

“And that's our cue. Take heart, Cold Iron, you're under good care!” Tina waved, then as the crowds got distracted, the five of them flipped over the crowds and took off at high speed.

\---------------

“...so you mean to tell me that you took over for Kyoko...and that the attempt was a complete and utter failure?”

Tethas sat on his throne, looking down upon Silver Knight with equal parts disdain and befuddlement. The knight was on one knee, head bent in deference as the prince looked on incredulously.

“Unbelievable... we had it...and then lost it because of some stupid technicality. YOU LET YOURSELF FAIL DUE TO A TIME LIMIT.”

“....I have no words. Despite the accumulated conceptual energy we gained, it was entirely my loss. I even tried to physically subdue the Rangers after the converted area reverted to its original form, but I was humiliated due to my fury.”

Tethas sighed. Yes, they did gain a great amount of conceptual energy, the largest they had gained thus far, and it would aid their activities in devising new plans to rout the Rangers and find their base of operations. But that energy wouldn't last forever.

“...alright. Silver Knight, take heart in this: your failure is not entirely your fault. You have served faithfully. No, I will take this as an indication that my current plan is not feasible, at least not for the time being.” Tethas rose from his throne. “...I will take Lady Kyoko's advice to heart, and adjust our plans accordingly. For now, we are to gather conceptual energy from the humes for our activities, rather than focus solely on invasion. This is the fourth time they have pulled off an upset, and I tire of repetition. Therefore, we must do what we can to gather conceptual energy to fuel our plans, and to find the Rangers' base of operations. It's somewhere in Cold Iron, we know that for certain. But until we can find out who all the Rangers are and use their activities to pinpoint areas to investigate, we are no closer to taking Cold Iron than we were when forming our armies. This is my decree.”

“And we shall obey, Prince.” Silver Knight took that as his time to leave, and left the throne room. Upon arriving in his own room, he found Kyoko waiting for him, and bent his knee to her.

“Your plan is proceeding as you have foreseen, Kyoko-dono.”

“Good~ We can't press the invasion while Tethas leads our forces. He is charismatic... but shortsighted in certain regards. Too much of a traditionalist.” She saunters over to a chair, taking a seat. “...darling, why don't you take off that stuffy armor?”

“I cannot. At least not as of this time, my lady. I already did earlier to spy among the humes, and the heat was rather uncomfortable.”

“Ah, then you require a chilly touch~” she mused. “No matter. My plans are going exactly as I wish. Let Tethas gather what he needs now. And I appreciate you taking the fall, though that twist at the end was one I didn't expect Wendy Urashima of all people to pull off.”

“She is... unpredictable.”

“Which is why she's so darling, fufufufufu~” Another haughty giggle echoes through the room, and Silver Knight's tail twitches. “As are all of them, to be frank. For now, my dear knight, we must ensure that the prince doesn't find out about what I already know. Keep him distracted while I work on my end.”

“As you wish, Kyoko-dono.”

“I'll find a way for you to stretch your legs out of that armor soon~ Fufufufufufu~”

End of Chapter 9, and End of the Tournament Arc.


	13. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the Rangers finally get around to that interview that's been teased since the Card Game Tournament arc, but things don't go exactly as planned. Have a read and you'll see what I mean.

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 10: Corporate Cogs Make the Best Thralls!

“Can we be absolutely certain that your daughter isn't compromised in any way by the Fae, Dr. Bohra? I'd hate to have someone affected by our enemy okay the status of others who were turned into... 'Fae-touched', as you call them, only to have them turn on us.”

Defense Secretary Harriet Bowman had finished debriefing Project MTR command the days following the second attack on Cold Iron's convention center. With formalities out of the way, she was now having an in-depth conversation with Dr. Bohra. The discussion was off the record, though Dr. Bohra's attitude towards that was that nothing was ever off the record when it came to the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government.

“At this point, we have enough experience with identifying the energies and readings of those we would classify as Fae-touched and Fae-kin. We know what to look for, and thus examinations of affected personnel and civilians should proceed faster than they have in the past. My daughter, now having first-hand experience with the effects of being Fae-touched, should be even more efficient in her examinations. I have confidence that she is not compromised at this time.”

“Yes, but are you basing that on the readings of your equipment, or her personal findings?”

Dr. Bohra gave a pointed stare. “Both.” Flexing her fingers, she searched through some of the current data regarding the effects of being turned into a Fae-touched and Fae-kin, bringing it up on screen for Bowman to refer to.

“As you can see, we've detailed the classifications we utilize when dealing with the FIF. On the lowest scale, we have the Fae-touched. They are entirely subordinate to others higher on the scale. We've established that the term 'Fae-touched' refers to anyone affected by the Fae that is not a Fae-kin or Fae themselves, which means there are varying degrees to which one can be classified as Fae-touched. This can be as simple as one's mind being affected by their power, or being transformed into a subordinate fae by a Fae-kin. This last example has seniority over the Fae Soldiers, and depending on the power of the Fae-kin and a few other factors, is on a kind of timer before they turn into a Fae-kin.”

Bowman nodded. “We appreciate the efforts in classification and elaboration on a hierarchy. Our own agents and analysts surmised similar findings, though we lacked the raw data that your project has.”

“We also believe...”, Bohra continued, “...that a similar 'timer' may apply to Fae-kin, turning them into full Fae. I assume that it is affected by the same factors as a Fae-touched turning into a Fae-kin, albeit requiring more time or the influence of a more powerful Fae. This is currently untested, so it's merely supposition. And I believe you and I would prefer to keep it as such.”

“Yes, that goes without saying.” Bowman confided. “Speaking of more powerful Fae, do you have any further information on the individuals that your team has encountered?”

Dr. Bohra struck a few more keys to bring up profile data on three figures. Images of two of them had a good amount of data and visual imagery, while the third was simply shown through three separate recordings from the Rangers' visors.

“The first being that the team encountered shares some similarities in energy readings to the Fae, though they are not exactly in sync like the latter two that we've seen. This snake-woman's appearance is more in line with Egyptian mythology, albeit with an amalgamation of traits. We know that she is an agile attacker, though we assume she prefers surprise attacks based on the team's only engagement with her. When confronted with adequate force, she was forced to retreat, though we believe this was an order from superiors. She has identified herself as 'Faareha'.”

She then moved onto the other two figures.

“One of these is a Fae that the team has had contact with twice, while the other was in the most recent mission. Of the two, we have an estimation of the capabilities of the one known as Silver Knight. He boasts considerable strength and toughness, as well as the means to create certain types of Fae-kin at will. He also appears to be a formidable combatant, though the team managed to exploit his anger and remove him as a threat. I have no doubt we haven't seen the last of him, though.”

“He calls himself 'Silver Knight', but he comes off as chauvinistic, not chivalrous.”

“I believe that has more to do with the fact that he is a dragon. Or at least models himself after a dragon. In European tales and western fantasy, many dragons are depicted as greedy, arrogant, and holding a particular enjoyment of tormenting and possessing women. The knight may be a play on this, an oxymoron of sorts.”

“Because knights fight dragons.” Bowman stated.

“Yes. And the two are typically depicted as opposites. Yet Silver Knight also enforced a set of rules for the tournament, and kept to it, though he favored the Fae-kin players. I believe he is meant to be a paradoxical entity. As for the other... this Kyoko. I believe her to be his superior.”

“The recordings from Miss Urashima's feed certainly seem to support that.”

“Indeed.” Dr. Bohra, brought up one of the images and the video feed, plus the audio from the Fairy Fabulous incident. “Her appearance is reminiscent of a kitsune from Japanese myth, and my daughter and I believe perhaps a bit of yuki-onna from the same background. Thus far, she has not directly intervened beyond speaking with Silver Knight and threatening Miss Urashima, though if the Fairy Fabulous incident is any indication, she is cunning. I also believe she had a hand with the Tsuya incident, though to what extent I cannot say. Among the three, we have the least information on her, and I believe that to be by her design.”

Dr. Bohra narrows her eyes, closing the profiles. “Until further information suggests otherwise, I'm considering her as the leader of the Fae Invasion Forces.”

“So we've met their leader then?” Bowman sighs. “Shame we couldn't corner her.”

“It's unwise to corner a fox.” Dr. Bohra interjects. “'Foxes make for unpredictable predators.”

“She's not an animal, though...”

Bowman catches the thoughtful look on Dr. Bohra's face, causing her to second-guess herself. “Right? Or am I missing something here?”

“You are, but that can be rectified with further reading of the information I'll be relaying to you. However, I don't have all the answers, but I am seeing a trend.”

“And what is that?”

Dr. Bohra gets a look on her face, betraying a bit of insight, but she stops herself. “We'll need more data before I bring it up. It's a hypothesis that relies on circumstantial evidence to support it. Until I have something more concrete, I intend on abstaining from speaking about it.”

“Very well. But if it becomes relevant, you'll tell us.” Bowman ordered. “Your team has been pushed to the brink and come back four times in a row. I hope this speaks more to their resilience and not just pure luck.”

“It's both. That's why I picked them.” Bohra replied, and Bowman's eyes narrowed. “I'll be taking my leave, then, if there is nothing else to discuss.”

“Very well. You'll notify us on how the interviews with RBS go, outside of what is broadcasting, right?”

“Of course.”

The feed terminated, and Dr. Bohra sat back down, crossing her fingers as she got comfortable.

“Interviews with the strike force. ...this seems like a set-up. One that could go a number of ways.”

Elsewhere in Project Command, Wendy had taken it upon herself to keep up a constant vigil on Tetsuya until he was formally discharged. While he was medically cleared within the first two days after the 'Tournament of Will' had been completed, many of the DoD personnel kept him around for further questioning. The effort that Wendy made to not immediately leap at them was considerable, but it helped that Dr. Bohra ensured that she was present during his questioning.

“Dr. Bohra is doing everything she can to hurry the process along, Tetsuya. You should be out of here in another day or two.”

“...I appreciate that, Wendy.” His lodgings weren't uncomfortable, but it was obvious that he didn't want to be there. “This is just a lot to take in. I've already told them everything I know, but they insist on asking the same questions.”

Wendy rubbed her forehead in clear irritation. “I know, I know. Ever since I've started working with Project MTR, I've had to deal with constantly being watched and monitored. The others have had to deal with even more, due to the Fae affecting them at one point or another. At least Chetana sped up your time in quarantine.”

“She's okay...right?” A sheepish head scratch followed. “As are the others? I'm worried that the thoughts I had when I was...um... different... would cause me some kind of trauma. Does it affect people differently?”

“No, thankfully. It seems that there's no after-effect from being turned into a Fae-kin or Fae-touched, even if you do remember what you did or what you were thinking. From what the others who have been transformed told me, as well as the previous Fae-kin victims, it's like you're really into a role or something. It's you, just... suppressed?” Wendy shrugs, looking visibly frustrated with the explanation. “I don't get it myself.”

“No, that seems like an apt description.” he comments. “You're suppressed by a role you're placed into and that you conform to. Maybe it's accurate to say you're being acted out.”

“That doesn't help make me less worried.”

Tetsuya chuckles. “Sorry. Don't worry about me, Wendy. I'll be fine. Your supervisor, Bohra-hakase, seems to have things in hand. I trust her to have me out of here as soon as possible.”

Wendy clenches her jaw.

“Well, that's more trust that I have for her.”

“Why do you distrust her?”

She looks away from Tetsuya for a moment, guarding her thoughts and not letting him see the look that crosses her eyes. Once she reigns it in, she looks back to him.

“It's complicated. I guess at this point I trust the team, but that's because I've fought alongside them. You get a sense for a person when you fight them or fight alongside them. But Dr. Bohra... I can't get a bead on her.”

She sat up, getting ready to leave as she said her temporary goodbyes to her cousin.

“If you don't trust Bohra-hakase, then why are you so sure that she wants to have me out of here quickly?” he asks.

“Because she's done the same for everyone else who has been a victim of the Fae thus far. So...I guess I do trust one thing about her: she wants to make sure everyone who is affected returns to a normal life as quickly as possible.”

Tetsuya gives a smile and a nod. “See? Don't worry about me. You're a good judge of character, Wendy. You wouldn't be working with someone whose motivations weren't just.”

Wendy's jaw didn't move, and she turned away, leaving her cousin to await his release. She felt terrible that she couldn't come out and state her misgivings, but doing so would only cause Tetsuya unnecessary worry. She couldn't do that to him.

“That interview with the team should be sometime tomorrow. Guess I'll prepare for that.”

The team spent the night on base, occasionally discussing with each other what they expected from the interview. Each had their own take on the matter at hand: while Patricia and Tina were comfortable with dealing with the press, Katherine and Chetana had their concerns, and Wendy outright didn't see the point of it. Yet Dr. Bohra stated that the plans were set in stone, and now that they were known by the public, it was best to utilize the public's faith and confidence in them to maintain their boost in power. That could be used to gather conceptual energy and further develop new weapons and equipment.

The next day came, and while the team were met by a government escort that would take them to where the interview would be held, a meeting was held at RBS. There, the board of directors and management were holding a meeting through an online conference. Among them was Beverly Holmes, who was finishing a presentation on the rise of public awareness that RBS had following the hijacked stream from the Fantasy Commander regionals.

“While there are ongoing concerns regarding why the so-called 'Fae Invasion Forces' kept RBS's broadcast up over others that were on scene, internal review has concluded that this was due to circumstance and convenience. The testimony of those who were addled by these attackers provides little insight into the workings of the FIF, and thus we cannot corroborate any speculation by our employees.”

“Yet the government still deems it necessary to investigate us!” One of the board members, the COO of RBS, fumed through his display. Though his anger was restrained and filtered by distance, and not directed at her, Beverly still blinked anxiously. “We had no choice but to submit to their demands! Our own employees and equipment were subpoenaed! This investigation will cost us precious time and manpower, not to mention that this may very well kill our prospects of branching out the company! How can anything good come from this?!”

“That's why we've taken measures to divert public attention away from that.” James Trenton, Chief of Programming, and one who Beverly had built up a positive work relationship with, stepped in. “What better way to turn all of that negative attention and channel it into maintaining a dedicated audience than getting an exclusive interview with the heroes who saved all those people! We didn't ask to be put in the public eye in this way, but we can control how we're perceived by being THE station that is first on the scene of these incidents! The events that have taken place at Cold Iron Convention Center have turned the world's eye to this city, where we operate out of!”

“You can't pay for better PR.”, Beverly smiled. “If we wrangle this now, the world will be focused on our coverage of the MagiTech Rangers. At the bare minimum, RBS will be synonymous with Cold Iron and all events taking place. And if we can maintain a perception of exclusivity with the Rangers, viewership will soar, and the company's market share will rise.”

The CFO spoke up, a woman in her sixties sporting a smart look to her appearance. “That is a possibility, if played right. If things go as you say, then we are looking at rapid growth. But we don't know how long the world's interest would hold in the events playing out here, or how long these events will play out at all. We might've seen the last of both the FIF and the Rangers. Meanwhile, the costs of a government investigation are going to rise, and we'll feel the effects of that even longer.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “My impression on all this is that our circumstances do not warrant chasing a children's show come to life as an ongoing news story. Focusing our energy on these developments is betting on uncertainty. We should consolidate what we have and work through federal inquiries until we're in the clear.”

All but a handful of people in the room were voicing their assent, and the CEO and president was looking as if he was going to wrap up the matter at hand. This wouldn't do: Beverly already got the Rangers slotted for an interview, and that would finish up the foundation that she needed to make RBS stand out among all other networks. Not capitalizing on that further would be a detriment to the network's growth. She needed to convince them all that her vision was one worth following...

It was then that Beverly felt a brief bout of dizziness, and a sudden sensation of pure cold went through her body. Her lips curled back into a smile as her irises flashed an icy blue.

“If that's how you feel... then I have one more point to make.”

Attention returned to her as she pressed an icon on the work tablet she had on hand, and suddenly every person in the room and over the video call would have a beam of icy blue energy emanate from their screens, zapping them in their eyes. Their minds froze over as they were brought into trance, and everyone else on the same floor was frozen. The floor itself had been affected by Fae magic, isolated and disconnected from the rest of the world as if it never existed.

Fox ears grew from Beverly's head as her hair turned white and skin turned an icy white-blue, while her attire changed to that of a blue kimono. Kyoko once again took control of the body she possessed, smirking and haughtily chuckling to herself.

“That point being: you're all silly humes who can't stop me, fufufufufu~” She conjured magical copies that appeared next to those who were communicating over video to ensure they wouldn't be broken from their trance.

“Mmmh, it's taxing to bring you all into the realm of the Fae like this, but it will be worth it. Now, silly humes, you will hear my words, and you will obey them completely and utterly. I own your wills. You are my puppets and thralls. You will direct this company, RBS, according to my wishes and desires. You will hear out all requests from the Chief of Public Relations, Beverly Holmes, and aid her in ensuring her requests are carried out successfully. If you see anything odd or out of place with the company's finances, hires, broadcasting, logistics, or any other activities, you will ignore it and not remember it, your mind filling in what you saw with what you think is acceptable. You will now ingrain these commands into your subconscious, and answer 'Yes, Mistress Kyoko'.”

Everyone present responded as she commanded: a chorus of monotone, entranced voices made Kyoko's smile widen.

“I own you all. Your names are already mine, freely given to me when Beverly became Chief of Public Relations. But I won't turn you all into Fae yet. You're too useful to me as puppets who think they still have free will. Except for you...”

She turned her attention to James Trenton.

“You will be of greater help to me as a Fae-kin, James. You have been quite helpful of your own free will, so I won't be completely cruel to you. You'll get to enjoy a taste of what is to come. And when I'm at the cusp of victory, you'll get to be a full Fae~ But that will come in time. For now...”

She snapped her fingers, returning everyone present physically and through video conference to reality, though they wouldn't see her or notice anything wrong. Even the workers on the same floor were affected. With that out of the way, she sauntered over to James.

“James Trenton is not your name. You are not a man, nor are you a slightly charming and amicable person. You exude managerial authority and charisma, you demand perfection from everyone who works under you, and those who challenge your authority and desire for corporate perfection will find themselves obediently working under you in no short order. You rule the programming schedule of RBS with iron-fisted beauty, bending all to your will. You are...”

“'Wooooo, the MagiTech Rangers!' Holy cow, Red, you certainly left an impression with the crowd. They wouldn't stop cheering and chanting.” Patricia commented as they finally arrived inside the RBS building proper. “Got to say, though, it's a blast~ I always wanted this level of celebrity.”

“Please curtail any impulses you may have to announce who you really are, Ms. Jefferson.” There was Dr. Bohra's distinct disciplinary edge to her tone that the team had grown accustomed to. “From here on, we're going to enable a one-way surveillance line that allows Project Command to see and hear what your helmets pick up. Comms will be disabled, as will your access to our servers to bring up information regarding the Fae. You are entering a place where there is a lot of sensitive equipment, and while our encryption is top-notch, I don't want anyone getting nosy if our comms show up. Should something come up, one of the agents on detail will notify you, and you can make your departure.”

“Understood, Dr. Bohra.” Tina gave a nod, and the other Rangers appeared to be on board with it as well.

“Just remember to give the bare minimum of information if the interview starts to turn towards the nature of the team and the Fae, or the capabilities of either.” Bohra added. “You cannot give classified information or reveal details that may tip our hand to the FIF. I have little doubt that they're monitoring this interview in their own way. You have your orders. Enjoy your limelight.”

The transmission ended as the one-way line was established, and the Rangers spoke among themselves for a bit before a woman in a smart pantsuit approached.

“Hello! I'm Mindy Walker, assistant to the Chief of Programming for RBS!” she smiled. “Now, before I take you all to where the interview is going to be held, do you have any particular preferences for what we should call you?”

“Hello there, Ms. Walker.” Tina nodded. “We tend to refer to each other by the color of our uniforms. So I'm Red, that's Blue, then Green, and so on.”

“I see! But you do know each other, right?”

“We do.” Katherine interjected. “But for the sake of confidentiality, we publicly use our colors to refer to each other.”

“oooh, I like it!” Mindy smiled and clapped her hands together as she gave a chuckle. “I think that'll go over well with the audience, in fact! It has a certain covert nature to it. Well, follow me! I'll take you to the interview room. We've got everything set up, we're just waiting for Roger Brukeman to finish getting ready.”

They followed closely behind, with Tina and Chetana a bit impressed that the interview would be with the premiere anchor for RBS's news streaming services. Once inside the room, Patricia chuckled a bit and took some glances at the camera set up and what sort of audio and lighting equipment they had on hand, making mental notes for her own gameplay streams. Wendy was mildly amused, but made it a point to not come off as engaged in what the camera crew was doing, and Chetana stayed towards the middle of the group of Rangers due to some slight anxiety from the situation.

After another twenty minutes, in which Wendy started getting irritable due to the wait, a red-headed man in his forties with a full beard and mustache entered, fussing a bit with the clip-on microphone he had on.

“Had to get me the one mic that wrinkl- hello there! Roger Brukeman with RBS, how are you ladies this day?” He smiled widely and extended a hand, shaking all but Wendy's due to her insistence that they get things going, getting a wave in greeting instead. Soon enough, the Rangers were sitting down around a table opposite Roger, and the cameras began rolling.

“So, I guess the first question I should ask you five is this: have you had to pay any royalties or penalties to Hasbro?”

Roger chuckled, and the Rangers awkwardly chuckled a bit in response.

“We are unaffiliated with any particular franchise, Mr. Brukeman.” Chetana pointed out. “While we do have an obvious comparison to the Super Sentai franchise from Japan and the Power Rangers franchise that was inspired by it, it was deemed that the technology and powers we utilize would be best handled through operating as a strike force; said franchises operate around this notion. The uniforms themselves, colorful as they are, serve multiple functions: defense, channeling the power we utilize, concealment of our identities, and a means of distinguishing each other during a fight with the Fae Invasion Forces.”

“Originally, we were trying to keep a low profile.” Tina added. “But that changed with the first Convention Center attack. The Fae Invasion Forces decided to stop being covert, and we had no other option than to come out into the open.”

“Yeah, that was a mess that I'm glad you ladies managed to handle.” Roger said. “Speaking of, Yellow here wasn't with you when you stopped that incident. Where were you, miss?”

Patricia didn't miss a beat. “Heh, would you believe that these four beat me there? I was pretty ticked that I missed out on the action!”

More chuckles followed.

“On the topic of the Convention Center, the most recent attack put you all in a corner, and a lot of people weren't sure if your team was going to make it.” Roger had a more pointed tone to his voice as he got a bit more serious. “All but one of you was taken captive, and... well, 'changed' by the Fae. It was a very dramatic ordeal. What was it like, being controlled by these 'Fae'?”

“Unfortunately, we can't exactly answer that question, Mr. Brukeman.” Katherine said. “We have our own resources devoted to analyzing the Fae and their activities. It's an ongoing process, but we all agree it's an experience we don't really want to go into without a better understanding of the Fae's process of turning people into their thralls.”

“Are you sure you can't provide us any insight? Word is that the U.S. Government has gotten involved in researching the effects of what the Fae do, but either it's too early for them to make any calls or they're unwilling to share.”

Chetana spoke up again. “What insight we can give is that defeating a Fae that turns others into their thralls frees those who are enthralled. This has been a constant thus far, and we have no reason to believe that breaking whatever hold a Fae has on a person won't return that person to normal. With that said, the team operates in a way to ensure that any transformation or enthrallment on an affected person lasts for as little as possible.”

“I see.” Roger looked a little disappointed that he couldn't get much else out, but he set the matter aside for the moment. “We are grateful to you for the speed and skill you've shown in handling these threats and freeing people from whatever these Fae do to them. Speaking of which, what are the Fae you fight?”

The Rangers looked between each other, before Tina spoke up. “I can understand that there are people out there who see what we can do and what the Fae can do, and still think that this is merely some kind of massive joke or stage play. If it weren't for the fact that the Fae are dedicated to making themselves known to the public, we would have played things along those lines. But as you and many others have seen around Cold Iron, the abilities we and the Fae have shown are very real. They utilize strange magic to accomplish their goals.”

“Well, this is incredibly fascinating.” Roger looked taken aback. “So magic is real? You'll understand if I say that this is all hard to believe.”

“It's real enough that there's been four separate attacks.” Wendy said pointedly. “Each one has escalated. The latest one put us to the edge, and it took some doing to wiggle out of the trap that the Fae had laid for us.”

“So... that last incident was targeted at you?”

Wendy could smell the spin that could be made from her last statement, and she recovered quickly.

“And we beat them. Sucker punched them when they least expected it, really. And we'll always come on top, no matter how hard they press us into the dirt.” Her body language was openly antagonistic towards Roger, and due to her irritation and need to avoid making the situation more intense, she excused herself.

“Did I... say something to offend her?” Roger looked bewildered.

“She can get hot-blooded.” Tina says. “But it's that willfulness that makes her a strong asset to our team.”

Out in the hallway, Wendy paces for a bit, clenching her fists to work out some nervous energy. She almost put her foot in her mouth. It was bad enough that she had to deal with government-types and Dr. Bohra taking control of her life and inconveniencing her. Now she had to deal with a nosy reporter who would likely inconvenience her even more just from an off-hand comment.

“Nothing is ever simple with these people! Nngh!” She gave a hiss of frustration as she paced away from the interview room, needing to put some distance between her and the current subject of her ire. She wasn't concerned with drawing attention from those working in their offices or carrying about their business, but in her irritation she didn't notice that none of them took heed of her. That was until she rounded a corner and saw three Fae Soldiers pulling one of the office assistants away down another corridor.

“What the?! What the hell are you guys doing here?!” She pursued them, attempting to hail the others before she realized that communications had been cut from Command's side. “Great. Well, hopefully they fix that when they catch this.”

While she was unable to utilize the full speed afforded to her by her suit's powers, Wendy was still quick to keep pace, and watched as the soldiers took the office worker into a room whose windows were frosted over with ice. Next to the door read a placard that said 'James Trenton, Chief of Programming'.

“I don't know what's going on, but I'm about to bust some heads and get some answers.”

She slammed the door open and barged in, only for the door to immediately slam closed behind her and ice over. Her head turned back from the door as she pulled out her blaster, taking aim at the soldiers.

“Big mistake, now I can let loose on you idiots.” One solider took a few blasts to the chest, flying onto its back before disappearing back to its own realm, but the other two managed to grab her arms and force her to her knees, disarming her and knocking her blaster away.

“Ggh, bastards! Let me go!”

“And let you ruin my office? I think not.” a woman's voice responded. Turning around in a chair behind the desk, a woman with cobalt blue hair professionally styled and down to her shoulders, sporting icy blue eyes framed with blue eye shadow, and her lips painted the same color as her hair, made herself known. Those same exotic lips were curled in a smile, contrasted against her fair skin, which glimmered with gold and silver sparkles.

“MagiTech Black, dropped into my lap.” she chuckled, to which Wendy growled.

“Who the hell are you? Wait... you're a Fae-kin! Don't tell me...”

“Hahahah~ Yes, you can call me Business Formal. I've been entrusted by the Fae Invasion Forces to train RBS's employees to adhere to a strict code that remakes a person to their core, all to make them the best rung in the corporate ladder they can be. Appearance, attitude, personality, the way they walk, their mannerisms, even down to the thoughts and body they have. All must be in service to promoting RBS and making it the number one source for information and entertainment.”

“Well, thanks for that info dump. I guess that information will be of help to expose your plans!” Wendy grinned.

“Ah... that's right, you have a link to wherever your base of operations is, don't you?” Business Formal mused a little as she got to her feet and sauntered over confidently. “But as the Chief of Programming, I have a fun little ability that allows me to interfere with transmissions and displays, and feed what I want through it. You think you're sending all that's happened since you saw this office, but really, the feed cut right before you rounded the corner. And I even put it on a twenty second delay~”

“Well, keep talking.” Wendy scoffed. “The others will be getting in any second.”

“No, they won't. I had a group of Fae Soldiers storm the interview room when you came in here. Shame that you didn't stick with them, otherwise you wouldn't be in the position you're in now~”

“That being?”

“I need a secretary. And while you're rather wild, a bit of taming and I think that willfulness will be well-served in carrying out my orders~”

“Go to hell!” Wendy tried to wrench herself free of the soldier's grip, but then Business Formal flicked the latches on Wendy's helmet and took it off.

“Hmmm... well, the red streaks are nice, but inappropriate for what I'm looking for in a secretary. And you're missing a certain something... I know!” The Fae-kin conjured up a pair of snow white glasses, and slipped them onto Wendy's face. As soon as they nestled into place, Wendy stopped moving, and her eyes glazed over.

“Can't think, can you? In fact, now you're having a hard time not thinking about anything other than what these delightful glasses tell you. How to dress, how to stand, how to speak, to speak only when spoken to. And most importantly: that you're my slave~ First thing to go is the thought that there is anything untoward going on in RBS involving the Fae~” 

The memory that Wendy had of her impression that the Fae had plans for RBS was frosted over, crystallized, and turned into a small snowflake on the corner of the insidious glasses.

“Now, let's get you out of that ridiculous suit and into something more professional. I need my secretary to look almost as good as I do~”

“Yes, Miss Formal.”

The Fae-kin chuckled huskily as she got to work, disrupting the Ranger transformation before using the will-subverting glasses to affect Wendy's sense of self. Her attire shifted, turning into a black pencil skirt with sheer beige pantyhose and black three-inch heels, while an open black business jacket with a white blouse formed on her torso. Her body gained curves, the blouse opening up top to show off ample cleavage while the skirt hugged her new shapely hips and thighs, and dark red lipstick adorned her lips along with a tasteful amount of blush and mascara. Finally, her hair turned all black as it was done up in a bun, and her skin began to sparkle a bit with gold and silver, denoting her as a Fae-touched.

Inside Wendy's mind, the glasses' magic linked with the Fae magic powering her conversion, instilling her with a sense of obedient duty to Business Formal. Her eyes gained a bit of luster back, but there was a dull icy blue glow to her irises.

“There we go. Miss Black, do you approve of your new attire?”

Wendy, now the Fae-touched called Miss Black, stood up at attention, looking prim and proper as her mistress gained her undivided attention. “My approval is irrelevant, Miss Formal. You have approved this dress code and my decorum, and I am obligated to follow it according to your wishes.”

“Excellent~ That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Now, Miss Black, we should prepare for some potential new hires to our department. I will have you join in their orientation in-depth.”

“As you wish, ma'am.”

Elsewhere, the other Rangers had contained the situation in the interview room, though much of the equipment had been scattered about and Roger was hiding behind the upturned table. Thankfully, no one had been taken captive due to the Rangers' coordination.

“Okay... these guys are starting to pop up everywhere, it's getting really annoying.” Patricia quipped. “Is there some kind of Fae equivalent of a mouse hole we should be looking out for?”

“I know that's a joke, but we can try to apply that idea towards a working detector...” Katherine replied.

“Everyone focus.” Tina took charge of the conversation after assessing the aftermath of the fight. “We need to find Black.” She couldn't outwardly speak to Dr. Bohra over their comms after the previous order had been lifted, so she directed the others out into the hallway once she ensured that the civilians would stay put. Dr. Bohra took the opportunity to inform them of the situation.

“Project Command lost confirmation of Miss Urashima's active power signature moments ago. There was a concurrent Fae signature that appeared at the same time, and we've also picked up another reading that we believe to be a Fae-kin.”

“Do you think something happened to Black?” Tina asked, getting a slightly worried tone. Wendy was the team's second-in-command in the field, and she was their most capable fighter. If she had become Fae-touched, it might be a struggle.

“We cannot confirm on our end. The feed from her helmet was interfered with, so we only know what direction she was heading towards when we lost her. I'm directing you there now.”

The route Wendy took appeared on the team's HUDs, guiding them to where Wendy had followed the soldiers to James Trenton's office. As they rounded the corner, they were met by the sight of a small group of Fae Soldiers and two businesswomen. One of which looked like a business-classy version of Wendy.

“...wow...looking good there.” Patricia said in a bit of surprise, getting a look from Katherine.

“Indeed she is. MagiTech Rangers, I'd like to introduce my new personal secretary, Miss Black. She'll be in charge of your evaluation as additions to RBS. Once she's given her stamp of approval, I'll conduct your orientations into the workforce as my personal assistants.” The Fae-kin's voice then turned into a husky purr. “My name is Business Formal. I look forward to having you all work under me~”

“Okay, everything up to that last bit was fine, but you had to go and make it lewd.” Patricia shook her head with a blush, then summoned her warhammer while the others summoned their own personal weapons.

“Keep your focus, we don't know what this one is capable of.” Tina said. “I'll deal with Black, you three neutralize the soldiers and get to the Fae-kin.”

“Understood!”

“You heard her. Handle Red, Miss Black. I'm sure she'll make a model employee~” Business Formal slapped Miss Black along her ass, eliciting a shuddering moan and heavy blush as the compulsion to obey blanketed her mind. The Fae-touched Ranger flicked her wrists and out came two large nail files in each hand. She then charged Tina, quickly closing the gap and using her own martial skill to put Tina on the defensive.

“These corridors are a bit narrow, I won't be able to use the chain-blade mode of my weapon.” Chetana commented. “Then again, you'll need the melee support, Yellow.” She charged alongside Patricia to quickly occupy the soldiers, while Katherine took careful aim to make disabling shots on the soldiers so the other two could quickly finish them off.

“Good, good. Nice teamwork, good assessment. Red seems to be a capable fighter too...” Business Formal didn't engage, content to watch and smirk at the effort the Rangers put into their attacks and tactics. Only when the last soldier disappeared did she bother making a move: with a snap of her fingers, the space around them shifted and widened, turning into a grand office with various statues glorifying a handsome elven man and an elegant beauty with fox ears and tails.

“Hey, wait, those are...” Katherine was doing a quick scan before nearby terminals lit up and tried blasting her.

“Yes, those statues are dedicated to the two main leaders of the Fae Invasion Forces. You know of one of them, but you don't know of our great Prince~” The Fae-kin laughed haughtily, sitting on her desk and crossing her legs as more computer terminals fired energy at the others while camera equipment appeared to add additional firepower. “You are not worthy of knowing his name at this time, Rangers, but soon that won't matter. You'll be serving him, just like Miss Black~”

“We'll be serving no one!” Tina barked. “Don't look at the screens, and watch your footing! Assume the whole room is under her control!”

“G-got it!” Chetana backed up to help cover Katherine as the two worked on taking out the computers and camera equipment. More seemed to phase in as they destroyed what they could, further complicating matters.

Miss Black kept her focus on Tina as rapid kicks lashed out, a couple catching Tina in the midsection before she pivoted and grabbed a leg to throw Miss Black into the air for a follow-up attack. The Fae-touched was quicker, curling into a ball and kicking out with both feet at the last second to divert the attack before landing cat-like to the ground.

“Threat assessment is high.” Miss Black was speaking to Business Formal on Tina's capabilities, pulling out silver pens and clicking them before throwing them like impact grenades. “High marks on physical prowess, most notably endurance. Above average marks on martial skill. Exceptional marks on motivating her fellows, and exhibits good talent for managing and prioritizing threats and tasks.”

“What is your recommendation then, Miss Black~?” Business Formal called out.

“She is good material for a supportive administrative position, as well as potentially dealing with the public directly.” A flurry of punches followed as she and Tina parried each others' blows, Miss Black getting more hits on her opponent than Tina could against her. Tina was starting to get worn down, but seeing Wendy like this, practically leashed, put a fire in her belly and made her refuse to back down.

“Public Relations, then?” The Fae-kin mused. “I could use a good PR woman for my rise~”

“Understood. I will subdue her, then. Once she is cowed, she will be ready to begin orientation.”

“Black... would you...snap... out of it!” Tina spun in place with both arm-mounted claws outstretched to make her opponent back off, and Miss Black flipped away while throwing smaller nail files like throwing knives at Tina. The Red Ranger managed to deflect them, holding her ground as Miss Black observed her for an opening.

“Black, you need to wake up. You managed to win that entire tournament on your own grit and knowledge. You made a miracle happen. You can't just let yourself get taken over after that kind of victory.”

“Oh, but it doesn't matter what she did before.” the Fae-kin taunted. “What matters is now. And now she's mine~ Miss Black, tell your partner what your purpose is.”

“Yes Miss Formal.” Black said in monotone, posed alluringly. “I take all of Miss Formal's requests. I obey completely. I am clad and formed in her image and ideal, to carry out her will. I am an extension of the desires Miss Formal has, and as an extension, I have no say against her whims. I serve her with the entirety of my being. Physically. Mentally. Even sexually, if she so desires. I am a rung on the corporate ladder for her to climb on as much as she pleases. And you will soon know the pleasure and purpose of service as I do.”

Tina clenched her fist before giving a sigh. “...you're not Wendy. You're wrapped around that Fae-kin's finger completely. So I think it's time I stop trying to reach you. Ladies... let loose. Ruin this office.”

“Wait, so...HAMMER TIME?” The glee in Patricia's voice was palpable, and with a hearty shout she began smashing the computers with ruthless efficiency. Katherine quickly picked up on what Tina was getting at, popping off precise shots to break all manner of glassware, mirrors, and windows. Chetana followed suit, turning her estoc into its blade-whip form and slashing through the furniture and books lining the office.

“Wait, what are...NO, STOP!” Business Formal quickly grew livid, and ordered Miss Black to stop the rampage. But as the enthralled secretary attempted to stop the office being wrecked, Tina took her opportunity to end the fight.

“DRILL SPIN CLAW!!!”

Zipping from across the room, Tina flew at Business Formal, striking her in the chest with multiple hits as the claws slashed and disrupted the foreign concept placed on its victim. Miss Black saw this and tried to stop the attack, but she was set upon by the other three Rangers who occupied her until Tina's attack finally took its toll. A wave of energy burst outward, and the image of Business Formal faded back into James Trenton as he sagged into the office chair.

But Wendy didn't turn back, and now, without someone to direct her actions, the Fae-touched began to shimmer and sparkle brightly.

“Miss Gutierrez!” Dr. Bohra's voice was panicked over the comms. “You need to undo the Fae-touched state on Miss Urashima, or she's going to turn into a Fae-kin!”

“Wait, what?! Dr. Bohra, I thought that defeating the Fae-kin would undo the conversion!”

“It should have. However...”

Miss Black's ecstatic moans reverberated through the office as the glow and shimmer pulsed.

“The foreign concept placed on Miss Urashima is held by a separate vector from the Fae-kin. It seems that without the other Fae-kin to manage it, the energies are surging out of control, likely as a contingency to ensure that she remains controlled. There's something on her person that is integrated into this conceptual conversion, and that is what you need to remove to reverse the process!”

The Rangers grew panicked, quickly running to Wendy as they tried to figure out what to do. Finally, Chetana came up with something.

“Perhaps... try the glasses!” She used the blade-whip to hold Miss Black in place as Tina slashed the glasses off of her. The effect was almost instantaneous: a look of shock appeared on Wendy's face, and the Fae magic that was wrapping around her dissipated in a flood. Chetana released her as they backed away, and the sexy get-up that defined Miss Black faded. Wendy's normal clothes came through along with the red dye-streaks in Wendy's hair, and her appearance returned to normal.

“Whu...ohhhh...” She shuddered, throwing off the echoes of pleasure she felt as a Fae-touched. “Oh man, that's so wrong...”

“Wendy, can you transform?” Chetana asked. “We're still in RBS. The room's back to normal too, it's only a matter of time before camera crews come in here.”

“Yeah, yeah...just... ugh... I still feel funky.”

Her morpher was still intact, so she quickly shifted back into MagiTech Black. Less than a minute later, some of the camera crew from the interview room and Roger Brukeman arrived.

“Rangers! What happened here?” He looked around, seeing James Trenton coming to. “James, are you okay?”

The addled Chief of Programming blinked a few times, then took in the situation and grinned. “Holy cow... They saved me! They really saved me! Oh, I thought I was done for when this woman with fox ears did something to me, but-”

“We're happy to help.” Tina gave a thumbs up. “We have to ask you to stay put, Mr. Trenton. There should be a crew coming along that will check on you to make sure there's no lasting effects. However, we have full confidence that the worst of it is over. Unfortunately, we'll have to handle the rest of the interview another day, Mr. Brukeman.”

“Yes, I... I understand.” He looked a little disappointed, but events had transpired that would require the FBI to come in and check on things, and he knew that they would want to review the footage of the interview thus far as part of the investigation. “...we'll get in touch to cover the rest another day.”

Tina nodded, then looked to Wendy briefly before she and the others quickly made their way out.

“Good work, Rangers.” It was Dr. Bohra's voice over the comms again. “Miss Urashima, it goes without saying, but I need you to come to base with my daughter to undergo examinations regarding your brief conceptual conversion.”

“Yeah, yeah... I've seen it enough times to know what to expect.” Wendy mumbled. She turned to Tina, and gave her a bit of a surprise with a pat on her back. “Hey. Red. You... actually did pretty well this time. Granted, I wasn't fully myself, but... you're not a bad fighter, and... thanks for getting me out of that situation.”

Tina couldn't help but smile behind her helmet. “We're a team, it's the least I can do. You had my back during that card tournament fiasco and pulled all of us out of the fire. And I still owe you one from our first mission.”

Wendy snorted. “Red, take the win. As much as I appreciate the appeal to ego, I burned myself this time around. Just don't think that you're better than me in a straight-up fight.”

“Heh, got it.”

As the Rangers left through a private exit to return to base, a woman sat in her office. Having watched the entire ordeal, Beverly Holmes had taken several mental notes regarding the Rangers and how they handled the battle with Business Formal and Miss Black. However, Beverly was not home: her eyes glowed an icy blue, and the image of fox ears glowed atop her head.

“Fufufufu~ How delightful~ They're improving. The footage from the interview should be enough for the public, and after I do some edits to this surveillance footage, well... the ones leading the Rangers should enjoy the show, and be none the wiser~”

Kyoko couldn't have her fun and plans spoiled so soon. But she could let those in charge of the Rangers have this win. Not that it mattered. Business Formal's unique abilities lingered while Wendy was still a Fae-touched, and she managed to parse through enough of the Rangers' encrypted communications to eavesdrop during one point. Kyoko had gained something of incredible value: the name of the person directing the Rangers against the FIF.

“I can't wait to meet you, Dr. Bohra~”

End of Chapter 10


	14. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the Rangers are in a spot of trouble once again! The Fae Invasion Forces are stepping up their efforts to root out where the Rangers operate out of, and this time the Fae-kin is made specifically with Patricia in mind! Can the Rangers overcome the odds, or will this new Fae-kin turn out to be too much of a controller freak for them to handle? Find out in this chapter!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 11: PvP is a Woman's Game!

The next day came, and with it followed a daily situation report to Prince Tethas and his generals by Fae-touched that were operating out of RBS. While Faareha, Kyoko, and Silver Knight stood on hand, the enthralled human who had been granted the privilege to enter the FIF's halls had a look of abject rapture on his face.

“So, from what you can tell, the Rangers themselves haven't deduced a link between RBS and our operations?” Tethas wanted to have the lesser being clarify the details, and it was important that this point in particular was crystal clear.

“Yes, great Prince. Lady Kyoko has ensured that all government investigations into the incident with Business Formal do not progress any further than what she can control.”

Tethas glanced over to Kyoko, shifting his position to focus on her. “And, pray tell, what is it that the U.S. Government knows?”

“Fufufufufu~ That there was a small contingent of Fae soldiers and a Fae-kin that recently infiltrated RBS.” she replied. “However, they had been there for a short time, and were unable to establish any presence inside the building. Rest assured, despite the current quarantine of James Trenton, they won't be able to remove my influence on him. I have his name, after all~”

Tethas would grin a bit in response to that. “So, you have a Trojan Horse to find the Rangers' base of operations? Excellent. Soon, we will have them serving us.”

Kyoko titters haughtily again while her tails flick in excitement.

“Seeing as how our efforts are moving forward smoothly, you are all dismissed. This thrall has served well, and...hmm... let's keep him as-is.”

The Fae-touched human moaned in need as he was escorted away, but not before Kyoko smiled and patted him on the cheek. “Now now, don't fret. You'll be made perfect soon~ Service to the Fae is its own reward, but serve us well and you'll be freed from burdensome mortality~”

“Yessssss... thank you, Lady Kyoko~”

The human was escorted out, and the generals went their separate ways. Kyoko would take the time to phase back into the human realm, letting Beverly Holmes's body reappear, though still under her possession. With her eyes glowing an icy blue and the shape of fox ears appearing in a frosty mist atop her head, she went into her files to review her own information on the MagiTech Rangers.

“Such a shame that I have to wait on James's return before I get some new insight... in the meantime, I think I'll have some fun.” She flicked through the files on the Rangers, each one constructed from their public profiles, to decide which one to target next.

“.....fufufufufufufu~ Oh, it's truly been a while since I had some fun at your expense, Patricia Jefferson! Pretty-sha made such a gorgeous model~ But... I think I'll prod you a bit in a different manner, one closer to your comfort zone. Now, let's see...”

Kyoko piloted Beverly's fingers deftly over the keyboard, going to a website where internet personalities streamed professional gameplay footage of their exploits and the competitions they participated in. A quick visit to Patricia's page highlighted a post on one of her social media accounts, which promoted a charity stream that had her facing a self-professed rival of hers in a newly-released game.

“Good deal of promotion over this distraction. An estimated minimum of twenty thousand viewers to show up for this one stream? Why hasn't RBS done something like this yet? This seems like a good market to tap into...”

Well, if one of the Rangers was involved in this, it wouldn't hurt to watch and get a better feel for what kind of person she was. It would make turning her into a Fae-kin all the sweeter~

That afternoon, the dual stream started up. Jeremy Wallace, going by the handle of WaMy, had his camera settled in on his face, his profile appearing in the bottom left corner of the stream while Patricia appeared in the bottom right corner. The chat was already on fire with over eight thousand people watching, and the count grew higher by the minute.

Jeremy himself was considered one of the top players of the game they were to play: Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, which had grown in prominence among the fighting game community and fans across the seasons of the franchise. It was a newer entry to the FGC, but it was one he was energized to play, due to recent events transpiring in the city he lived in. Like Patricia, Jeremy lived in Cold Iron, and like many others living within its environs, the MagiTech Rangers were a constant talking point. This was especially true in chat.

YoungKilla2001: Bruh, is Hasbro gonna sue the MTRs?  
VictorvonDickings: no way, mtrs look nothin like anybdy in this game  
OhNoImadeZeBadGame: Anybody know Gal's and WaMy's mains?  
BeegGayns: haha dumb shit over a bunch of spandex chicks go play SFV scrubs  
RedLeader: Yeah I know, whomever did the design for their outfits was smart enough not to directly copy, only be inspired by  
W.HoleVersus: WHENS MAHVEL? Just goofin, hope to see a good match  
\- BeegGayns has been banned from chat -  
LightHawkWingz: yooooooo, W.Hole! When's the next Kirby Lore vid?!  
WaifuLaifu: Wonder what MTRs look like under their helmets.  
buggedlifemechanics: bets on mtrs showing up on stream, BET ME  
TheGame92: got a quick saltybet going on this link below  
-This link has been blocked due to moderation settings -  
RedLeader: Fs in the chat!  
Dejavu: F  
KillaJokah: F  
Capncrunchtime: F  
VictorvonDickings: F  
DoragonWaifu: F  
TheGame92: fffffffuuuuuuuuuuu-

“You ready to get this started, WaMy?” Patricia had a wide smile on her face, exuding confidence and getting a lot of cheers from her own fans. Both got into a private lobby, where they selected their respective characters. It was to be a best of three matches for the set, and donations were already starting to pour in.

“Let's get this started, then!” Jeremy had pick of the stage they were to play on, as per their agreement, and soon enough they were inside the famous Command Center, their respective characters facing each other down. The viewer count was now above twenty-two thousand, and the ten thousand dollar charity goal was already a third of the way there before the set had formally begun.

The fight was on. Over the next half an hour, Jeremy and Patricia had their characters exchange blows, showing off flashy moves, and giving an entertaining performance for the audience. They had paused for five minutes between the second and third set of matches to take a break, then returned to the last sets of matches. Both players each won two matches, leading up to the last match of the set. By this time, the audience had grown to twenty-five thousand viewing the stream, and the goal was less than two hundred dollars within reach.

“Win or lose, there's going to be a good chunk of change going to helping kids with cancer! Don't get left out, if you can spare a dollar or five, go for it! Nothing like the good feeling of donating to a good cause!” Patricia smiled, and that loosened up the wallets of a good number of people to donate even more. Jeremy couldn't help but be impressed at Patricia's talent with engaging her audience, and how that translated to not just her success, but to endeavors such as these.

He also couldn't help but be impressed with her skill in gaming, as she won the last match and the set with two successive wins. By that time the charity goal had been met, and the chat was wild with calls for a rematch.

“Hey now you guys. You know I've been busy with some private stuff on my end, so I don't have as much time to devote to streams as I used to. That said, if there's enough demand for it, WaMy and I can arrange another charity stream like this one! Thanks for the match WaMy! Hope we can do something like this again!”

Patricia and Jeremy listed off a few times where they would be streaming on their individual channels, but as they did so, Jeremy couldn't help but feel some light irritation and jealousy towards the woman who just beat him. It wasn't the fact that she had beat him, she was the top female gaming streamer on the platform for a reason, and he showed he was plenty capable. With some practice, he could probably be a match for her in this game. No, what caused a welling up of jealousy was that she was a savant in gaming and playing to an audience. Her subscription numbers and the attention she pulled was a reflection of that.

He wanted that, and despite his own efforts and ability, he wasn't anywhere near her level. The briefest glint of that dissatisfaction and jealousy showed in his eyes, and Beverly Holmes smiled. She had found her next target to dig further at the Rangers.

Jeremy would receive a private email later that evening from someone. Like many in his position, he viewed its contents with suspicion, especially since he never sent correspondence to anyone in RBS or had any connections to the company. Granted, the account he was reading it on was an account that was available for contact through the site that hosted his streams. But... it seemed official enough. The sender identified herself as one Beverly Holmes, who had been sent the VOD of the match between him and Patricia, and she was impressed with the both of them. Her reasoning for contacting him first was because Patricia already had an established presence elsewhere, while Beverly wanted to get someone who didn't have as much celebrity as her in order to give them more exposure.

A sigh of irritation left his lips as he read that. It felt a little bit like he was getting a pity deal. Then again, RBS was one of the largest corporate entities in Cold Iron, and with all the MagiTech Ranger coverage, they were getting even more attention. This could pay off for him after all if some of that coverage went to shows featuring their own programming, and he was on one of those shows.

Looking through the rest of the email provided a personal phone number to contact Beverly, and prompts on leaving a name, number, and the purpose of the call. There weren't any links to an IIRC client to contact her, or other means that could provide a hacker a means to infect Jeremy's computer, so... it wouldn't hurt to call, right?

“Says to contact her as soon as I receive this email...” He scratched the tip of his nose with his thumb as he thought on it, then picked up his phone and dialed the number. It rang a couple of times before the line picked up.

“This is Beverly Holmes, Chief of Public Relations for RBS Broadcasting and Telecommunications Corporation. May I ask who is calling?”

OH CRAP, SHE PICKED UP. Jeremy was briefly flustered and stammered a few words before managing to speak. “Y-yeah, this is... I mean, I'm calling in regards to the email you sent to me about a possible deal? My name is Jeremy Wallace, I run a gaming-centric stream. You said the match between me and GalTremendous was something that caught your eye?”

“Oh, good! I was hoping to get a hold of you before the end of the day! Yes, I did send that email. I'm not too knowledgeable about gaming itself, but I did notice the number of subscribers and viewer count that you pull in regularly. It's quite impressive, as is your sense of presentation and appeal to an audience.”

Jeremy smiled at that. It felt good to have some recognition, especially from someone in such a prominent position. Maybe he'd get lucky enough to get an influencer job?

“I had help from friends who are Communications and Graphic Design majors, so I can't take all the credit. That said, I did pick up a lot from them over the past couple of years, so I can bring what I know to the table if need be.”

“Ah, good! While it's not entirely necessary, having that knowledge helps. But what I need you for the most is your skill and expertise in gaming. I want to market you as a personality more than for technical skill. I can go into further particulars if you'd like to meet face-to-face.”

A brief look of surprise crossed his face. Wait, this was starting to sound like an interview...

“I can meet tomorrow, sure.”

“Great! I'll send you an email with the address and a guest pass to enter RBS proper shortly. We use temporary IR codes, much like you would get for movie tickets, so please hang onto the email so you can present it when checking in. I'll have someone ready to bring you to where I'll be interviewing you. Please be sure to arrive at RBS about 10:30 so you have enough time.”

A few more words were exchanged, and the call ended with Jeremy smiling widely. His only concerns about this potential hiring were how it might cut into his streaming schedule and how his fans would react. But it was an opportunity he couldn't afford to at least look into.

He didn't realize that Beverly had other plans...

Around that same time, the Rangers were having their own discussion. Utilizing the communication features of their morphers, Chetana had contacted the other four regarding the recent altercation with the Fae. Dr. Bohra had other matters to attend to regarding some new development of MagiTech equipment that could help their battles, so she couldn't head the discussion herself.

“Preliminary findings and analysis of James Trenton have led to the same results as those previously affected by foreign concepts that turned them into Fae-kin. Despite this, Dr. Bohra has ordered more extensive tests to investigate the possibility of further tampering.”

“So Dr. Bohra thinks there might be more than just the standard play the FIF do?” Tina asked, and Chetana nodded.

“It's just to be cautious. Before this last encounter, the FIF went after Wendy's cousin, and it's believed that they figured out who Wendy was through him. It's reasonable to assume that from this, their leadership will escalate things to try and target us.”

“Dammit.” Wendy gave a huff, shaking her head. “Might be why they singled me out last time: to make an example out of me, or maybe to just make sure I had my turn under their control. At least it didn't take long to clear me...”

Katherine gave a sympathetic look to her fellow Ranger. “We've all had at least one incident where we were controlled by them now. Let's make sure there won't be any further cases.”

Patricia had to hide the brief tremor of pleasure she felt as she recalled being Pretty-sha, Spirited Lapin, and a gynoid card girl, as well as how Wendy looked while a Fae-touched. Despite the idea of her will being taken away by the Fae to conform to their desires... the appeal of being presented in such a fashion, of being gorgeous like that... it appealed to a part of her that she had always had, deep down. Not to mention how sexy Wendy looked, tickling her attraction. Somehow, she had managed to keep her focus in the last battle, but it was close. She didn't want that compromising her, and the thought that a similar situation could play out and lead to disaster worried her.

“We should prepare for the possibility that at least one of us might fall to a Fae-kin in future encounters.” Tina said. “All of us have had a turn. And going by Chetana's word, the FIF are going to make it a point to target us from here on. So I consider it unreasonable to try and aim to never get caught off-guard by the Fae in such a way. Rather, we should focus on quick response to one of our own being compromised or removed from the fight, and take every opportunity to turn the tide.”

The other Rangers turned to look towards Tina, appearing as an emitted hologram from their morpher. Patricia blinked, looking a little apprehensive. Did they really have to have that attitude? That each time, one of them was going to be pitted against the others, and they just had to deal with it?

Wendy, however, cracked a grin.

“Heh, that's actually the best idea I've heard from you.” Looks of surprise were passed around, and Wendy straightened up to clarify. “It's not a defeatist or fatalistic viewpoint. Sure, we can do everything in our power to prevent getting turned against the others. Every precaution could be taken, every imaginable situation could be played out so we know the best course of action... but even with these powers, we're not perfect. We're human. We're bound to make mistakes, or have too slow a reaction, or hell, even just get dogpiled.”

“So instead of anticipating every eventuality and trying to correct for it, you're agreeing that adjusting to the situation should be our focus?” Katherine queried.

“Yep!”

That made things a bit more palatable for Patricia. And what Tina said next helped to bolster that good vibe.

“That's my point exactly. While we've all had the misfortune of being turned into Fae-touched, we've had the benefit of having each other's backs. That has been our greatest source of strength these past battles, and I feel it will be pivotal moving forward. Remember, Dr. Bohra stated that MagiTech responds to the sense of will we have, and to both our own perspectives of ourselves and how the world sees us. Seeing ourselves working in cooperation with each other helps, but if we expand on that and see ourselves as parts of a whole, that we are a team, I think that sense of belonging will help snap us back to normal that much faster. Not to mention, focusing on that helps us to perform our duties as Rangers that much more effectively. And it's important that we have that as a priority, because the Fae will use civilians to throw us off so they can strike at our most vulnerable times.”

Chetana smiled warmly, and the other Rangers seemed to have a bit more brightness in their faces. Patricia stretched in place with a grunt, calling attention from the other Rangers as she got ready to end communications from her end.

“Sorry guys, I'm calling it early tonight. I've got a stream planned for tomorrow before noon, so I need some shut-eye.”

“Take it easy then.” Katherine nodded.

“If that's the case, then we should probably postpone any further discussion until we've got an official debriefing from Dr. Bohra.” Tina added.

“Very well, then.” Chetana wanted to discuss a bit more, but it was a conversation that required all of them to attend, and disrupting their schedules any further would be counterproductive. “I hope you all have a good night. I'll keep you apprised of when mother wants to discuss matters, if she doesn't contact you first.”

The next day came, along with Jeremy's excitement upon arriving inside RBS. One of the defining parts of Cold Iron, something that made it stand out among other cities, and a place that embraced the new age of information and entertainment. He took in his environs as he was escorted to one of the meeting rooms, noting that while there was a definite professional tone to everything, there were a lot of women. A lot of good-looking women, at that. Hell, he might find a cute girlfriend here if he decided to work, although that might be frowned upon by supervisors...

He entered the room, carrying a binder with his resume, a list of references and contacts, as well as detailed charts of his channel's numbers, including changes in subscriber numbers over the past year, average and median viewer counts, and how much he made through donations and through his partnership with the host site. Anything he could think of that would be relevant to this position and how he could make himself look good was put in.

It was 10:32 in the morning when he sat down, and he expected to be waiting until around 11, but after going over what questions he might have to answer, checking his appearance, and making sure he didn't forget anything over the next ten minutes, the door opened and an attractive brunette woman walked in with a welcoming smile on her face.

“Hello! It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Beverly. Just for reference, can I have your full name?” She extended her hand as she sat across from him at the table, and he shook it, finding her hand a little cold. Not uncomfortably so, more like she washed her hands under some really cold water, or maybe her hands were exposed to an air conditioner for several minutes. It was just something he noticed, but didn't think too much of.

“Nice to meet you! Sure. My name is Jeremy Wallace.” he smiled as the handshake was finished. He handed her the binder with his resume and pertinent details, adding “Here's my resume, references, and information on my channel's growth and how much I make monthly in earnings and per stream.”

“Oh? Ah, thank you, yes. This will be helpful.” She took it with a grin, giving it a quick look-through and used her fingers to highlight points on his resume and channel numbers. As she did so, Jeremy swore he felt a slight breeze enter the room and cause a shiver of cold up his spine. But the windows were ones that didn't open. Maybe the air conditioner kicked in?

“Mmh... promising. You're certainly good at growing your channel, though I think your growth might be a little lower compared to others.”

That didn't sound good. Jeremy didn't say anything, but in his mind he began to worry. Was there a discrepancy between what they knew and what he presented her? His channel promotion was already aggressive, though he couldn't compete with some of the more notable e-girls who casually streamed games, or the streamers who played dedicated Minecraft streams, or the trend-chasers...

“But I think we can help you with that!” she said as she closed the binder. That took some of the worry off his mind. Then that worry began to rapidly dissipate as he felt colder. A quick, heavy shudder passed through his form, trailing up his spine and into his mind, suddenly making it hard to focus. His thoughts fogged up and he struggled against the haze that grew thick. Try as he might, it was no good, and his resistance only served to make it grow thicker.

“...cold...can't...”

“Can't think, can you? That's what happens when you give your name to a Fae~ Your will no longer becomes your own...”

Beverly's eyes glowed an icy blue while the shape of fox ears materialized in misty spots atop her head. She approached Jeremy as the cold seized every inch of his body and mind, and he could feel it creeping into his soul. Yet instead of panic, an insidious sensation of bliss and anticipation welled inside him, causing him some arousal. He shuddered, both from the chill that caught him and from pleasure, as his eyes glazed over.

“It doesn't hurt to catch new talent while its still raw.” Beverly mused. The room shifted, frosting over as colors inside turned white and blue as it underwent a temporary conceptual conversion. Kyoko then fully took over, smirking at the sight of the enthralled young man. “You're going to be in good company, WaMy. Not everyone who crosses my eye gets the promise of being turned into a Fae-kin, with the means to become a full Fae later~ But that will be something for you to look forward to down the line. For now...”

She turned the chair Jeremy sat in towards her, locking his gaze with hers. Her will pressed into him, priming him for his transformation into something not human.

“You are not Jeremy Wallace. You are not a young man who runs a successful gaming stream channel online. You are not inferior in skill to Patricia Jefferson. You are a skilled, powerful gamer who wants to make an impact on society. You want to make a name for yourself by showing how much better you are than anyone else when it comes to gaming. You're competitive, cheerful, flirtatious, and know how to put on a show as well as how to talk smack to your opponents. You are a sexy young woman who has her own sense of style and flair, and wants to have fans who emulate that and praise you. You want all the attention on you, and anyone who doesn't give you what you want will be made into a fan who will give you everything, or a platform to show off your skill with. You're the Top Gaming Diva, and your name is...”

Patricia checked the clock as she finished up an early lunch of leftover pizza. Her setup for the stream was mostly ready, she just had to do some final checks on the audio to make sure the sound of her voice was above that of the game audio, but not too much to drown out the game. The plan was to catch up on one of the releases that came out Fall of last year, which was put on the backburner due to a variety of factors, and then of course her work as a Ranger.

“Man... can hardly get anything done in four hour streams...” She put the plate she had eaten the pizza off of into a small stack of dishes in her kitchen sink, giving it a quick appraisal before deciding that she wouldn't need to load the dishwasher until tomorrow.

“Ho-kay!” With a grunt and some stretching, she checks a nearby mirror to see how she looks, deciding that one spot of hair needed some taming. “...and this is why I gave myself half an hour before showtime.”

A quick ping was heard, and Dr. Bohra's voice came over her morpher.

“Miss Jefferson, your presence is requested. Rendezvous with the rest of your team downtown. Do not delay.”

“Wait, what?” The transmission ended before she could respond, and a look of incredulity crossed her face as she let out a frustrated growl. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That's it, this Fae-kin is getting a hammer to the face!”

Patricia fired off a message to a few of the moderators for her stream chat to inform her subscribers that the stream would be pushed to a late-night stream instead. Still fuming, she left her apartment to find a place out of sight, and morphed into MagiTech Yellow before using her suit's powers to make her way downtown. On a whim, she tried to see if she could wall-run, and after some rough tumbles she found herself hopping along the walls of buildings, using a guiding hand to occasionally grip so she didn't fall.

“Heh, I'm actually doing it! Nice~! Guess I'll show the others how it's done!”

It wasn't too much longer when she saw Wendy running ahead of her as she rounded a corner, and Patricia gave a salute and shoutout to her teammate. Wendy did a double-take and had to slow down, but laughter could be heard over the comms.

“Miss Urashima, what seems to be so funny?” Dr. Bohra's stern voice was heard by all five women.

“Well, Yellow is running along the walls and making me look like a chump! You gonna teach that to the rest of us?”

“Sure thing!” Patricia called out, and Dr. Bohra said nothing else until the five grouped up. Tina took the lead, contacting Dr. Bohra.

“Is there visual on the Fae-kin?”

“Yes. In fact, the Fae-kin is making it rather easy to find her.” Dr. Bohra replied, and a brief feed popped up featuring a young woman with her hair done up in twintails, one side a baby blue in color, the other mint green, and separated down the middle by a large red streak that ended in swept bangs that gave her a cute appearance, with some snazzy VR shades sitting atop her hair. Her left arm sported an odd glove with buttons on it, a black t-shirt that spelled out 'Get Rekt' in multi-colored sequins, tights with high-cut frayed jean shorts, and bright red flats. While she sported a sexy body, the clashing colors and attire detracted a bit from really showing off her sex appeal. Like all Fae-kin, her skin glimmered with gold and silver sparkles, and her ears were tipped at their tops.

“Ooof... uh...” Patricia's tone betrayed how cringeworthy she found the sight.

“Aaaaaand thanks for the donation of willpower, rando person!”, the Fae-kin called out as the Rangers arrived on the scene. They witnessed a person getting zapped by some energy that came from the Fae-kin's outstretched gloved hand, and the victim slimmed and reshaped into a bodysuited woman wearing a smiling mask with numbers on it.

“Chalk up another Subscriber Bot to add to the growing hordes that will be joining the Fae Invasion Forces! As always, hit the subscribe button if you like what you see, and be sure your notification settings are set properly so that you'll never miss a stream!” She gave a peace sign as she tilted a smartphone up to pose with her newest thrall, only for the phone to be shot out of her hand. Wendy stepped forward, finger off the trigger of her blaster as she pointed dramatically at the Fae-kin.

“You should put down the phone and pay attention to your surroundings! You never know when you might have someone snipe it right out of your hands!”

“Heh~” The Fae-kin grinned, unimpressed, and a new smartphone materialized right where the old one was. “No one snipes my streams and gets away with it! But it seems that we have no ordinary stream snipers, my faithful followers! It's none other than the MagiTech Rangers, stepping up as my new challengers! Well...”

She tucked the phone between her breasts, leaning over to give a bit of a show with a wide grin as she eyed the Rangers.

“Rangers! ...Welcome! To! Brainwash!”

The Rangers prepared for a fight, but Patricia caught the reference.

“Wait, are you... that was from the old X-Men Arcade game! Why are you riffing that?!”

“Oho! A fellow Gamer Grrl! Truth be told, it's too retro for my tastes, but I thought the line was appropriate for what I have planned for you all! Anyway, a new challenger approaches, Rangers! Say hello to the Fae-kin that will be your downfall! The trendiest! The sexiest! The most brilliant, skillful, and charming Fae-kin around! Me! But if you want my gamertag, I guess you can call me Controllette!”

Wendy and Katherine gave Patricia a look as the Fae-kin monologued, prompting Patricia to shrug. Controllette gave the Subscriber Bot a nice squeeze of her breasts to get a coo of delight before sending her off to grab more potential thralls. Then, with a snap of her gloved fingers, all the nearby security cameras and televisions were hacked, and the hack spread throughout all of Cold Iron as screens flicked to show a stream of Controllette facing down the Rangers.

“So, how do you wanna do this? Turn-based combat style? FGC tournament style?”

“No tournaments, I've had enough Fae-run tourneys for a lifetime!” Wendy butted in, and opened fire on her opponent only for Controllette to dodge the fire.

“Oooh, FPS, not bad! But you won't be playing against me, oh no, I have to look good for the stream and show off my awesome twitch reflexes! Let's see...you!”

A nearby civilian who had ducked behind a car peeked out for a moment, and he had the misfortune of doing so when Controllette's gaze passed over his position. Pointing her controller glove at him, she quickly pressed a few buttons, and the man froze in place, getting a blast of bliss for his trouble. Glowing polygonal lines formed alongside his joints and body, quickly mapping him before enveloping him in electric blue light. In his place was a skimpy-dressed buxom woman sporting twin pistols, short pants, and a midriff-bearing tank top that emphasized her gifted assets. She was rather pretty too, with pouty lips and brown hair tied back in a braided ponytail.

“Player character selected. I am Tomb Raider.”

“The remakes have nothing on the original! Go get'em!” The transformed victim, now a Fae-touched, opened fire on the Rangers, showing off enhanced acrobatic skill as continuous fire blasted them a bit. The impact of the shots were felt, sparking off their suits, and the Rangers had to take cover from the continuous fire.

“Wh-what the hell was that?!” Tina exclaimed, turning to Patricia. “Okay, looks like we're dealing with a Fae-kin that is more in your realm of expertise. You're taking point on this, Yellow.”

“Got it, Red! What do you need to know?”

“What's that Fae-touched's capabilities, and what can we expect from the Fae-kin?”

Katherine took a moment to summon her personal weapon, angling the rifle and avoiding fire long enough to get a few solid shots on the Fae-touched.

“I've got enough cover to deal with this one. I just need someone to cover my back so Controllette doesn't flank me.”

Tina gave a nod, and turned to Wendy. “Can you cover her while the rest of us deal with the Fae-kin?”

“Sure thing.” Wendy kept her pistol at the ready while Tina, Patricia, and Chetana moved in to engage. But while Controllette was boasting how she made the Rangers back off, she wasn't going to have them mount a counter-offensive.

“Nope, nope, you ladies are going to stay in the corner until I chip away your health bars or slip through a block and punish you~! Time for an upgrade!” A few button presses, and the Fae-touched video game character yowled in aggression and ecstatic power before her firing rate turned to automatic fire.

“Oh crap! Duck!” Tina pulled Chetana with her behind another car while Patricia deflected a few shots with a spin of her hammer before using it as a pole vault to avoid further fire and sail into the air. The surprise maneuver caught the Fae-touched off guard as she tried to fire on the descending Ranger, but the heavy thud as Patricia landed feet-first into the Fae-touched's chest followed by a mid-air spin to strike her hammer as a follow-up blow was too much. The Fae-touched character flew and landed on her back with a heavy grunt while Patricia landed deftly to her feet.

“Okay, I'm gonna take a guess and say that a bit of that person Controllette transformed was left over, because it's basic knowledge in gaming that you fire where your target is going, not where they are.”

“Nice move, Yellow!” Chetana called out. “Green, do you have eyes on Controllette?”

“Negative. She ducked around a corner, and I lost track of her.”

“Gh, dammit... Stay put, let me make sure she's not looping around!” Wendy growled.

“Wendy, hold position, we'll come to you!” Tina's order went unheeded, as Wendy moved away a good thirty feet while she had her blaster ready. Katherine held her position as the other three returned to them, and it was then that the screens all flicked to Controllette's smiling face.

“Geez! You guys aren't very bright, are you?” She stepped out from behind one of the advertisement displays sporting her on its screen, catching Wendy by surprise as a group of Subscriber Bots appeared, glomping onto the Ranger and knocking her prone.

“Ggh, get off me! How are they so strong?!”

“Oh, because all that defines them goes into being the best little subscribers I need them to be!” Controllette grinned. “They exist to praise me and get me the resources I need to continue doing what I do best! Speaking of, it's time I got a new member to my party!”

“Crap, Katherine, shoot the glove!” Wendy panicked, but Controllette pointed her controller glove at Wendy and forced her rendering conversion on Wendy to turn her. Pressure was felt all over Wendy's body as the polygonal frame formed around her, seeking out weaknesses in her suit's defenses as it gained data. Within a few seconds, the pressure crunched in, shattering her suit's defenses and filling her will a mind-numbing bliss.

“Gotcha! I think I have the perfect character profile for you!”

Low, erotic moans slipped past Wendy's lips as the foreign concept was placed onto her, a template that would smother her self and integrate with her to make her obedient. Her suit shifted, boots becoming red padded greaves with high heels, while her gloves turned the same color and padding, looking like an MMA fighter's gloves that went up to her elbows, which also got padding. The rest of her attire underwent even more drastic changes, as the torso of the suit turned into a high-cut leotard that showed off the skin of her thighs while highlighting her hips, with a little tie that draped down from her neck. Her helmet peeled upwards, revealing a lightly altered face as dark lipstick appeared with her irises a blood red, and lightning bolt patterns were painted on her cheeks while her hair turned a deep purple. Finishing up the transformation, the helmet turned into a military-style female officer's cap.

With a perverted grin, Controllette groped the now saluting Fae-touched Wendy, enjoying her new player character.

“Player character selected. I am Shadowlaw Doll W.”

“Ooooh, a sexy Doll! I wonder how she handles?” Controllette leered, tapping a few buttons and siccing her new minion on the Rangers. “Crush them!”

“As you wish, Player.” Without hesitation, Wendy shot towards the Rangers, enveloped in a field of energy with the intent to ram into them all.

“You're opening with a Psycho Crusher?! Everyone down!” Patricia exclaimed, and the other Rangers got down in time as she parried the attack with her warhammer. Redirecting the attack allowed the Rangers to regroup, even as Controllette brought up the Tomb Raider to join Doll W.

“Any plan, Red?” Chetana looked concerned, because at any point Controllette could corner one of them with the Subscription Bots, and they'd lose another of their number while trying to handle superpowered Fae-touched.

“Red, I've got this! Listen to me.” Patricia had an idea, but it'd take some coordination. “I need you to go fight one-on-one against Black, and use your claw gauntlets. Green, you're going to need to take your rifle off of semi-auto and start strafing, move aggressively. Blue, you stay with Green and cover her so she doesn't get swarmed by the Subscriber Bots.”

“What are you going to do?” Tina seemed on board, but she wanted to make sure that Patricia wouldn't be putting her neck out too far.

“I'm...well, I'm going to distract Controllette. She's directing them, so the Fae-touched and maybe even the Subscriber Bots aren't independent of her orders. And I'm banking on my knowledge of games to try and shut her down. You know how that Tomb Raider got a rapid fire boost?”

“That's what it's called?” Tina had a tone that indicated this was getting a bit too ridiculous even for their circumstances.

“Just... bear with me. That was a cheat. I saw Controllette input a code on her controller glove. Thing about cheats is that they can be a little unstable, and too much use of cheats can break a game.”

“I see where you're going with this. So we hold out until then.” Tina nodded. “You heard her. I'm deferring to Yellow's recommendations, follow her orders.”

With some nods from Katherine and Chetana, the four got into action. Katherine swapped to semi-automatic fire on her rifle and began opening fire, while Chetana used her bladed whip to slice up a nearby streetlamp before flicking the whip to launch pieces of the streetlamp at Tomb Raider. Meanwhile, Tina met Doll W's blows with her own, and while the Fae-touched Ranger's attacks were harsh and swift, she endured and used her environment to her advantage to score some critical strikes while parrying the worst Wendy could offer.

Patricia ambled over to Controllette, slamming her warhammer down on the ground to cause a massive tremor that knocked the Subscription Bots onto their rears, before using the weight of the hammer's head as a counterbalance to fling herself into an attack spin at Controllette!

“Whoa-whoa! Hey, you don't actually fight me, y'know!?” the Fae-kin blanched, just barely managing to hijack one of her own Subscription Bots and turn them into a skull-helmed knight with purple-black flames firing out of her eyes.

“Player character selected. I am Death Knightess.”

“Then you'd better step up your game, scrub! I'm bringing that cute butt down!”

“Ooooh, you think my butt is cute? Hehehe~!” Controllette shook it to taunt Patricia, distracting her briefly enough that she almost took a greatsword to her midsection.

“Okay Trish, now's not the time to be fantasizing about how attractive the enemy is...” she thought. “But it is time for something else.”

She knocked back another strike from the skull knight, spinning around to slam her weapon into her knee, making her buckle over momentarily. Just long enough to hop onto their head and kick off towards Controllette.

“Whoa, nononono! Not again!” Controllette frantically punched in another code, powering up the female skull knight to give her permanent auto-regen and a haste effect. Suddenly, Patricia found the knight bearing down on her from behind as she landed, and she tapped into her powers to visualize some game mechanics of her own.

“This party just got crazy! LET'S ROCK!”

A sudden dash to the side, defying physics and looking stylish at the same time, and the skull knight slammed her greatsword into the ground, leaving her open for a harsh slam from Patricia's warhammer that made her tumble over.

“No...” Controllette grimaced, seeing how Patricia was outmaneuvering her enhanced player character, and seeing the same going on with the other two she had control over. Katherine and Chetana had Tomb Raider cornered, and Tina was matching Doll W's mobility. She needed an edge.

“That's it! Invincibility Up!” Her fingers rapidly danced on her controller glove, and suddenly the three PCs were taking no more damage and were shunting off all blows as if they were nothing.

“Attack Animation Up!” Now their attacks were lightning fast, too quick to counter.

“Crit Rate Up!” Now their blows were far more likely to deal additional damage and impact. Surely all this would give her the edge.

For a few seconds, it did, and the Rangers were starting to get tossed around. But then the player characters locked up and froze in place.

“What are you doing?! Come on, I'VE GOT THEM ON THE ROPES, WORK DAMN YOU!!”

They didn't budge. Instead, they glowed, and the foreign concepts on them fizzled out as they returned to normal, with Wendy returning to her Ranger suited appearance as she sagged to the ground in a daze.

“W-what? No, I GOT A CRASH!!”

“Yep!” Patricia had a chipper tone as she hopped up, stretching out some minor pain from an attack. “I mean, come on. Everyone knows that those old cheats cause software instability this day and age. Now, where were we? Ah yeah~”

“P-please, no.... I'm awesome! I can't lose! I'm so sexy and happy like this...” She started to pout, showing real fear as Katherine fired a single shot at Controllette, breaking her VR shades and disrupting the foreign concept on Controllette enough for Patricia to see who was the victim.

“Oh geez...that's WaMy...”

“You know them?” Wendy groaned, frustrated that she had been turned into a Fae-touched again. Guess she was going in to quarantine with this one tonight.

“Yeah... they're a decently popular game streamer that I just did a stream with yesterday...”

The foreign concept faded as Jeremy slumped to the ground unconscious.

“Good work, team.” Dr. Bohra's voice had picked up over the comms. “While this incident was highly unusual, you had far greater control of the situation than in previous missions. Your response time and flexibility in operations is also to be commended. Bring Mr. Wallace with you back to Command. Medical response teams are en route to deal with the rest who were turned into Fae-touched. I fear that I'll have to discuss matters with the DoD about this many people being turned into Fae-touched.”

“Understood, Dr. Bohra. We'll be there shortly.” Tina replied. She turned to Patricia, patting her on the back. “Hey, don't feel bad. You got him back to normal, and your expertise with gaming really helped us out. We couldn't have won this one as handily as we did without you.”

Patricia gave a nod, smiling a bit as the downer mood she felt began to lift from her. “Thanks, Red. I guess I am pretty awesome, hehehe.”

“Don't get a big head, you dork~” Wendy said, prompting the others to have a chuckle as they helped Jeremy and returned to base.

Later that evening...

Prince Tethas was none too pleased with the recent attempts made by Silver Knight. Granted, the draconic knight was loyal, and was effective up until recently. But it seemed that, since his humiliation during the second attempt on Cold Iron Convention Center, Silver Knight was lapsing in his effectiveness.

It was for this purpose that he had called the knight before him, and Madame Faareha was close by to watch.

“Silver Knight. Before I say anything further, I would like an explanation as to how your performance with directing Fae-kin to further the FIF's plans has suffered so.”

The gargantuan figure was knelt, massive halberd on his back, head bent in deference, as always.

“I have no excuse, my Prince. Nor shall I make an effort to speculate on what has affected my management of the recent Fae-kin attacks. Such words would be wasted air, weak excuses that are pointless to our goals. Thus, I will readily take full responsibility for these failures.”

Tethas closed his eyes, giving a slight exhalation from his nose in frustration, before opening his eyes again.

“While I am greatly disappointed, I also know of your contributions to our efforts. I am aware of your dedication to our cause, and were it within your power, you would excel at delivering what we require to reach our aims. I also appreciate your willingness to accept the consequences of these setbacks. I do not wish to squander a resource such as yourself, but I feel that you should be made an example of in some way.”

The prince tilts his head up to the ceiling, pondering quickly before giving a smile.

“I think a tag-in is in order, Silver Knight. For the time being, you are relieved of leading our efforts, and Madame Faareha will take your place.”

A low hiss of surprise escaped Faareha's lips, but she didn't protest.

“As you wish, my Prince. Madame Faareha, may you find success in your endeavors.”

Tethas would bid leave to Silver Knight shortly after, and he leaned in to speak with the shorter woman. He put a leather pouch in her hand, whispering to her “Take these to Cold Iron's largest areas of nature. They will do the rest...”

End of Chapter 11


	15. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the Fae Invasion Forces show that their methods aren't limited to one source of conversion, and developments with Project MTR grow more complex! Also, PLANTGIRLS! I hope you enjoy!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 12: Mother Nature is a Lewd MILF!

The night following Controllette's attack was a quiet one. Downtown and other parts of Cold Iron continued operating, with bars open, night clubs welcoming patrons, and some businesses having their workers pull all-nighters before the weekend properly began. Most people mingled in the city for their activities on a Friday night, but one woman was busy closing up for the night in preparation for tomorrow. The Cold Iron Botanical Gardens were a recent addition to the city, brought about a few years ago through the city's desire to preserve and cultivate areas of natural beauty, as well as to promote new areas of recreation for the citizens of Cold Iron.

Edith Gardner was a mother of two preteens, and though she was in her early forties, she was still regarded as a stunning beauty. Auburn hair, brown eyes, with an olive complexion and a matronly body that had her drawing attention from men young enough to be her children, she was admired and envied for her looks. More than that, she was admired for her even temperament and dedication to her craft as a botanist, which was why just as many people came to see her while she attended to her duties as a groundskeeper and manager at the Botanical Gardens. Such cultivated her moniker of “The Flower of the Botanical Gardens”. Of course, she always shied away from that name out of embarrassment, but she appreciated the sentiment that others held towards her dedication.

It was much like any other night for Edith: the last visitors had left at sunset, and she was taking care of inventory checklists and ensuring that those she supervised had logged in their work hours correctly. After the time-consuming work was finished and the employees had started making their way off the Gardens grounds, Edith took the opportunity for one last walk around the Gardens. She always enjoyed these walks when she could take them, as it allowed her to see the results of her hard work in bringing a bit of beauty back into Cold Iron.

Occasionally, these walks would also bring stragglers to her attention, and she would have to inform them that the Gardens were closed and to vacate. There had only been a few times that she opted not to out of concern for her own safety, which led to the police being called and having to stay around while they filed a report. That recollection passed through her memory as she saw a figure leaning over to look at some of the flowers. It was a woman who appeared unassuming in stature, dressed in a coat that did nothing to help keep her legs warm due to wearing what looked like leggings under a pair of shorts. Her raven black hair fell like a curtain down her back, reaching to her knees. She was an unusual sight due to how her appearance clashed, but it wouldn't have been the first time Edith had seen someone wear odd clothing.

“Excuse me, miss? The Botanical Gardens are closed. If you'd like to enjoy them tomorrow, our hours are from ten in the morning to six in the evening...”

As Edith approached, she saw one of the woman's extended hands slip back into her coat pocket, as if she might have been reaching for something but thought better of it. In the light of the moon and the nearby streetlamps, Edith got a better look at her: she appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, around her twenties, wearing smart-looking glasses. Her eyes were a brilliant green, as in the low light they managed to stand out and make an impression with Edith. Something seemed off about them, though.

“Miss, did you drop something?”

The young woman looked back at her with an unflinching, immutable gaze, and Edith felt a bit uncomfortable. This woman didn't seem aggressive, but she certainly wasn't much for conversation, and the lack of a response concerned her. Edith tried to see if she had dropped anything in the flower bed, but it was too dark to tell at the distance she was at.

She offered a warm smile, softly approaching the other woman. “Honey, it's okay. I work here, I'm the groundskeeper of the Botanical Gardens. You don't have to be afraid of me.”

“...not...afraid...”

The voice was low, soft, and a bit raspy in its tone, as if slightly strained. A look of concern crossed Edith's face as she heard the young woman speak.

“Honey, are you okay? You sound hoarse. I can get you a drink of water if-”

“No.” the young woman cut her off curtly. “I...am fine...lucky.”

That last part struck Edith as odd. “...lucky in what way?”

“...found...good fit.”

A shiver of anxiety wormed up Edith's spine, but she brushed it off as paranoia. This young woman seemed... addled, maybe. Or perhaps she needed more help than she let on. Edith walked closer to try and comfort her, to show she wasn't a threat... and that's when a rumble in the soil nearby was felt, drawing her attention. Her eyes almost didn't track the movement as something snaked out of the ground, quickly standing up on end, but she backpedaled as it slithered upright towards her. She almost thought it was a python at first, maybe someone's pet had gotten loose. But when the light from the moon and nearby buildings was cast upon it, she realized her mistake.

It was a vine. A massive, flowered vine that was reaching out towards her!

Before she could turn to run, it had snaked around her waist, pulling her towards its base as the tip of the vine slipped into her field of view. Gorgeous flowers filled her vision: vibrant powder blue roses with white frosted edges, invoking the notion of roses lightly frosted by ice in winter. It was then that the flowers spurted a pinkish powder into her face, causing her to reflexively exhale quickly to try and get the pollen out of her mouth and nostrils. But the pollen kept blowing, and she inhaled some of it. Its effects were almost instantaneous as her body suddenly felt flush with warmth, making her quiver as a familiar heat started to bud a bit in her nethers, while her focus suddenly wavered.

More vines appeared, coiling around Edith and stroking her increasingly sensitive skin. An errant thought crossed her mind: the pollen had an aphrodisiac effect, but that was ridiculous. Nothing was fast-acting like this, and aphrodisiacs were just a placebo effect. Yet she couldn't deny that it was making her feel delightfully weak, and the flower was placed close to her face to spurt another dose of the intoxicant pollen.

“aaauuUhhnn~”

“Feel good.” Faareha smiled, watching the blooming vines snare their first victim, and the one who would soon command them no less. “Flowers bring bliss. You feel bliss from flowers. Protect them. Make flowers grow. Be rewarded when they bloom. Supreme bliss when they bloom.”

Low moans and hums of pleasure slipped past Edith's lips as the pollen made her mind pliable. Faareha's words ingrained into her subconscious, the pleasure melding with them to associate cultivating and protecting these vines and plants with pleasure, and the promise of even greater rewards. Faareha slipped the pouch of seeds she had in her coat pocket into one of Edith's as the vines began to imprint themselves on her.

“Sow seeds. Gather will. And bloom. A beautiful flower to serve the Fae~”

With a satisfactory smirk, Faareha turned and walked off, leaving Edith to let the commands and instructions shift and ferment in her mind, guiding her actions to help a new Fae plot take root.

One of the flowers from the vines sprouted their own roots, and shuffled off the vine it originated from, slowly entwining its roots through Edith's hair...

Project Command staff awoke early in the morning, getting coffee and breakfast sandwiches either on the way to Command or on-site as the late night shift ended. Rubbing bleary eyes and cleaning up about a dozen cans of energy drinks, Tim groaned as his replacement for the morning shift took over.

“Ugh, god dammit... that frigid b-” He cut himself off abruptly, realizing that Dr. Bohra likely had eyes and ears on them at all times, and he growled in frustration. “This is soul-crushing! I can't even vent!”

“You should be happy, you're not under the constant threat of being turned into a demi-human entity.” Katherine sighed. She had stayed the night on base after Wendy underwent her recent conversion, and she wasn't sure what disturbed her more: the constant threat of becoming something that was molded to the Fae's will, or the fact that dealing with such a threat to one's identity was starting to become routine. Even the process of vetting and analyzing people before clearing them was picking up in efficiency.

“I'm going to abstain from voicing my thoughts on that subject out of a need for self-preservation.” Tim replied. “Both for my job and likely my balls.”

Katherine scoffed in mild amusement, shaking her head as she sat nearby.

“Ah, Kath, me and some of the others caught some readings last night. Seemed to be related to the FIF, but the signals were pretty faint and kept cropping up in different places.”

“Huh...” She took a quick look, spotting that they indeed were following what Tim stated. What was odd was that it seemed like the readings came and went outside of major areas of foot traffic. “...looks odd. Maybe they were scouting?”

“Surveillance came to mind, yeah.” Tim nodded. “We're still working out any correlating details, but the last places were in areas of the city that weren't as industrialized, with the Botanical Gardens being the last area that the signature stayed around for a while at.”

“How long was that?”

He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips in thought. “...about fifteen minutes. It was up there, but not the longest amount of time we logged. You think you guys should check that place first?”

“That would be a wise decision, and one I wouldn't anticipate from you, Mr. Simmons.” Dr. Bohra said as she walked into the room, causing him to jump in place and drop the bag of energy drink cans to the floor.

“JESUS LADY, you scared the shit out of me!” He scrambled to pick up the cans that had rolled out of the bag, making sure there weren't any droplets on the floor.

“You should take care not to have so many of those, then.” she chided. “You know the health warnings about excessive intake of energy drinks.”

“Yeah, I know.” Tim grumbled. “I'm clocking out. Dead tired, and if I don't head home right now I'm likely to fall asleep at the wheel.” Tim shifted the bag of cans under an arm, causing him to waddle a bit to keep it from spilling its contents as he left. Dr. Bohra shook her head once he had left the room.

“Dr. Bohra, since you're apprised of the situation, what do you think?” Katherine looked to her, both awaiting orders and trying to gauge the Project Commander's expression.

“Miss Urashima should be cleared from quarantine in a few hours, and Miss Gutierrez and Miss Jefferson should be on standby within that amount of time. If this is an attempt by the Fae to scout new areas for their plans, we should devote resources to investigating why.”

“Will you mobilize us then?”

Dr. Bohra looked her in the eye, and there was a glint of displeasure. “No. I do not believe that mobilizing the Rangers is necessary at this time. We have personnel on hand, both as part of the project and from the DoD, who are more than capable of surveying the areas that these signatures have lingered in the longest.”

“So she doesn't think mobilizing is worth the time right now.” Katherine thought. “True, the last time we acted preemptively was because readings were constant around the Convention Center over the course of a few days. We could reasonably assume they were going to attack there. This, though...”

“You seem to be of the same mind as I am.” Dr. Bohra responded, causing Katherine to blink in surprise. “It's better if we meet their attempt at discretion with our own.” Dr. Bohra purposefully emphasized the word 'attempt'. “We know that the FIF have an interest in you five. First Miss Urashima's cousin, then a peer of Miss Jefferson. We do not need to answer a provocation like this by sending you out there ready for a fight, in case they are monitoring the activities of you five. We answer fights on our terms, not theirs.”

“I see.” Dr. Bohra seemed to be in a rare mood to discuss things with her, but before she could capitalize on things further, the doctor received a call. With a single look at the caller, Dr. Bohra gave a quick glance to Katherine to indicate that the conversation was over, and Katherine took that as time to get to her other job with Project MTR. Dr. Bohra left the room, shutting the door behind her before answering the phone.

“What is it, Beatrice?”

The tone of the woman on the other line was curt, though not nearly as much as Dr. Bohra could be.

“We've made progress. It's been matched.”

That caused Bohra's pace to slow just a bit.

“You've gone beyond a candidate?”

“Yes. And since I've delivered, I expect Lockheed to have a bigger part in your project.”

“I wasn't aware that the Chief Financial Officer of Lockheed Martin had that much pull with its board of directors.” Bohra bitterly mused.

“You don't know what I'm capable of, Bohra, or-”

“That was me being facetious, Evans. My only surprise is that you've gone beyond finding a candidate.” Bohra interrupted. “A welcome surprise, to be sure, since you've fast-tracked the schedule by a bit. If whomever has been matched performs well, you'll get your access as I recommend it to the DoD.”

“...very well.”

The call ended from the other side, and Dr. Bohra had conflicting thoughts on what would result from the call. It was something she would have to discuss with Secretary Bowman, but for now, her focus was on a more immediate concern. She brought up a device from her pocket as the MagiTech equipment activated in response to her will. A few seconds of navigation, and she sent out an order to mobilize several small teams to survey and scan the areas that the analysts had singled out.

“Let's hope they don't do anything stupid with this new development.”

Within the Botanical Gardens, hidden away in the earth, the warmth and moisture of soil surrounded a small chamber that housed a figure, tightly binding them as transmutative juices and liquid soaked into their skin. They squirmed and writhed, giving light coos of pleasure as the sunlight above was ferried through an exotic-looking flower that aided in turning its captive into a new existence. The people who walked the grounds above had no idea that Edith Gardner had been captured as part of a Fae experiment, and even now was in the process of becoming something that would eagerly hunt them and turn them into Fae thralls.

That included the team of DoD personnel that made their way onto the Botanical Garden grounds a couple of hours ago, speaking with patrons and employees to find out that the groundskeeper had not left the Gardens the night before. The fact that there had been readings of Fae activity, and that her last name was Gardener, seemed to narrow things down for them.

“Yes, Dr. Bohra? I believe we have a potential Fae-kin case on our hands that requires immediate action.” The agent, a man in his early forties with attractive features and brown hair, paused to receive any additional queries or orders from Dr. Bohra, before continuing. “Evidence? Well, besides the signature reading in the botanical gardens, there's an employee missing with the last name of Gardner.”

Another pause followed, though much shorter than last time, before he responded. “Understood. We'll clear the area of civilians immediately.” He turned to the others as he ended the call, pointing at them, “Get these people out of here! Orders from Command are to prep the site for the strike force, get on it!”

The shouting and sudden movement of over two dozen feet drew the subconscious attention of the figure underground, who had finished her transformation into something new. With a moan, the chamber tightened, and roots that had formerly been legs pulled and pushed against the soil to draw her up into lovely, warm sunlight.

The exotic flower that had blended in suddenly enlarged as the recon team sent people away, and it bloomed brilliantly as its petals unfolded to reveal a woman. Buxom, curvaceous, with full lips, thick thighs and rear, she looked like a fetishized caricature of an adult woman. Her hair fell in a curtain of dark red, contrasting the pale green of her skin, which was wrapped with vines and flower buds in alluring places to draw the eye. On her neck was a leaf choker sporting a flower, with matching ones on each side of her head, and the rest of her body was entirely naked for people to stare at.

“Mmmh~ What's all this racket, can't a lady get her beauty sleep~?”

“Shit...shit! Fae-kin!” One of the agents, a woman in her thirties with short blonde hair, reached for her firearm and opened fire. A thick vine sprouted from the ground, and with superhuman speed it batted the bullets into the dirt harmlessly, before slapping away the pistol and wrapping around the agent in one fluid motion.

“Hold your fire! You might hit Harris!” the lead agent called out. “Get the civvies out of here! The less this thing has to play with, the easier it'll be for the Rangers!”

“Oho? You're with the Rangers, then? Mmmmh~ I've just bloomed, and already you silly humes are seeking to uproot me. Well, I can't have that, can I?”

The plant woman brought the blonde agent to her, blowing a pinkish mist at her which subdued her will and made her hot with need. Moaning as her blood throbbed pleasantly in her, the agent had no chance to resist the Fae-kin's next move: a flower bloomed on her skin, and she plucked it as it grew roots, quickly zipping over to the enthralled agent and shoving a honey-producing vine into her mouth while digging into the dirt.

“You'll all make fine daughters for me, and you'll be good girls and do whatever you can to protect your Mother Naturia~”

The order to mobilize rang out as Chetana led Wendy out of Project MTR's medical bay, who had just been cleared from quarantine and examination.

“Back at it, huh?” Wendy let out a characteristic irritated huff as she and Chetana made their way down to the Command Room. Dr. Bohra stood at the center, with Katherine waiting by for the other two to join.

“I've informed Miss Gutierrez and Miss Jefferson that they'll be joining you at the Botanical Gardens, though I haven't informed them of the situation itself.” Bohra remarked. “Since Project Command base is closer to the Botanical Gardens than it is to their current positions, I chose to inform you three of the finer details. Gutierrez and Jefferson will listen in on the conversation while they are en route.”

A few quick swipes on the console revealed footage taken by DoD agents at the Botanical Gardens, revealing a voluptuous woman with light green skin and dark red hair commanding vines and local plant life. Trees reached over to grab those who fled, while those who tried to fight back were quickly overwhelmed from afar with roots, vines, and strange clouds of pink gas that the woman blew from her mouth. Those who were captured were quickly entranced, and strange flowers rooted themselves into their hair as vines groped them and fed them honey through their vines before burrowing into the ground.

As they watched, Chetana's lips were moving, and her eyes seemed to be following the plant life that came under the Fae-kin's control, as well as the strange vines and flowers that were grappling with people.

“Daughter, I'm assuming you recognize the plants being use?”

“All but a few.” she responded. “I'm familiar with all the plants that are featured in the Botanical Gardens, but the flowers that are attaching themselves to people, and the flowers on the Fae-kin, are ones I'm unfamiliar with. It's possible that they're non-native.”

Dr. Bohra furrowed her brow, but Wendy looked a bit confused. Katherine leaned in, whispering to Wendy. “Chetana is practiced in botany as part of her studies in medicine. A great deal of pharmaceuticals and poisons have come from plants, so she's invested time in knowledge of plants to better utilize their unique chemical compositions to be a better medical practitioner.”

“Ah, got it.” Wendy gave a nod, but the look in Katherine's eyes indicated she wasn't done yet.

“You've heard of invasive species, right? Like the Dingo used to be in Australia? Plant life can be harmful to ecosystems too if they're non-native.”

It took a moment for Wendy to make the connection, but her eyes widened, and she turned back to Chetana and Dr. Bohra.

“Exactly, Miss Urashima. It seems the FIF have decided to try a different method of conceptual area conversion. If this Fae-kin is successful in spreading her influence, the plant life of the Botanical Gardens won't just answer her call. They'll become part of her.”

“That's a bold claim, mother. But we should assume that such is the case.” Chetana stepped forward, turning to Wendy and Katherine. “It's complicated, but plants have an important impact on local and regional ecosystems, and it's safe to say that each ecosystem is linked. Roots spread out, linking flora, and many plants compete with each other for territory like animals do. It's constantly shifting. But if one species becomes dominant in an area, it can affect nutrients in the soil and what animals can inhabit an area and proliferate.”

“There's no more time to discuss the details.” Bohra interrupted. “Rendezvous with the rest of the team and take care of the Fae-kin. If you are able, retrieve the agents who were on-site before they become Fae-touched. Otherwise, mitigate their presence and deal with the Fae-kin directly.”

With a “Yes ma'am!”, the three morphed and made their way to where the others had been waiting for them. Upon arrival, however, it was obvious that Tina and Patricia weren't being given the luxury of surveying the area to improve their chances of success. Various vines were attempting to grab at the two, and it was due to a combination of precise slashes from Tina's claws and blasts from Patricia's blaster that kept them safe.

“'Bout time! Things are a little hairy!” The Yellow Ranger fired off a few bursts of blaster fire to take out another large vine, while Tina took command.

“First thing's first! Blue, Green, give us some breathing room!”

“Understood!” Chetana materialized her estoc, quickly switching it into its blade-whip form and cut a swath through the attacking vines, while Katherine brought out her rifle and opened fire to support Patricia.

“Hm...disappointing... you're turning my lovely vines into mulch...” a voice said with soft disappointment, and the ground shifted as Mother Naturia erupted from the ground.

“That's the Fae-kin? She's rather... buxom.” Wendy quipped, opening fire at her only for the shot to narrowly miss. A look of displeasure crossed the Fae-kin's face, but it softened into a warm, motherly greeting.

“You are the MagiTech Rangers, then? Be good girls for me, and don't resist. Soon you'll be eager daughters of mine: lustful, obedient, and enthusiastic in pleasing me with spreading my seeds and roots further.”

“That won't be happening.” Chetana gave a slight glare at Mother Naturia, and with a wrist-flick, the blade-whip shot out to slash at their foe. The attack was a near-hit as Naturia plunged a little into the ground to evade the attack.

“Three dimensional movement, and she can likely burrow into the ground to avoid our attacks and try for a sneak attack.” Katherine surmised. “We need to be extra cautious.”

“Maybe I can help out with that!” Patricia bounded up, using the suit's enhancements to augment her own abilities as she leaped from tree to tree and took shots at Naturia.

“You're not beating me!” Wendy called after her, and joined in, launching into a nearby tree to kick off of, then spinning and firing multiple shots at Naturia. The vines were summoned to her side, this time to defend her from attacks, giving the other three room to breathe and coordinate.

“Alright, Blue.” Tina turned her attention to Chetana. “You're familiar with botany and the chemicals plants produce. Anything we should be aware of?”

“Yes. Pollen and scents from plants can have a reaction on animals, including humans. Pollen itself can cause an allergic reaction in those with sensitive immune systems, and the effect of floral scents can have a pacifying effect on many. Sometimes, those scents can even affect libido, depending on the individual. But we should be protected from that due to the suits. Just don't let her capture you and you should be fine.”

“Yes, those suits are bothersome...” Naturia mused as she defended herself. “But you didn't think I'd be alone, did you? Come dears, it's time to bloom~”

“Yeah, uh... we tried to get to those pods, thinking people were in them, but we couldn't get close due to the vines.” Wendy groaned. Tina got on the defensive.

“We're about to have company.”

The pods around the area began to shudder and shift, then they opened in a blooming motion, revealing exotic flower petals with lovely women lying in their centers. The dark green-haired, pale green-skinned beauties yawned and stretched alluringly, before turning their attention to the Rangers.

“Mmmm~ Mother has called...”

“It seems there are more sisters to add to the family.”

“Let's have fun~ Such fun~”

“Fun in kissing... fun in sex...~”

“eeeeee...!” Patricia backed away, blushing in her helmet. “Geez, full thottery! You ladies have no modesty!”

“They likely were the DoD agent team sent here to survey the area.” Chetana added. “Readings indicate... they're Fae-touched, but they may turn into Fae-kin within the hour. Considering the placement of the pods, it's entirely possible that direct sunlight speeds their unique process.”

“Oh my, oh my... spilling all of my secrets like a naughty girl...” Naturia pouted. “Girls, bring the Blue one to me. Her mind knows of our ways. Let's have that mind serve our ways instead~”

“Yes, Mother~!”

“Well, you just made friends!” Wendy opened fire again as the seven Fae-touched plantgirls approached, summoning vines and blowing clouds of pinkish mist from their lips. Tina stayed in one of them a little too long as it billowed around her, and sparks began to come off her suit as warnings alerted her on her HUD.

“Miss Gutierrez, I'd advise you not to stand in that pollen. It seems to be capable of draining energy from your suit.” Dr. Bohra called over the comms.

“Wait, so... it interferes with conceptual energies?” Chetana thought aloud. “That means it can sap willpower too. Everyone, stay out of the pink mist!”

“Nngh, got it!” Tina jumped out, slashing at vines that tried to grab her from behind, only for one of the Fae-touched plantgirls to use her own vines to snare her around the leg and bring her to the ground.

“Oooh, got you~!”

“D-damn! Get away!” Tina slashed at the vines, yet more appeared and wrapped around her arms and torso to pin her in place as a few of the plantgirls approached.

“Mmmhh~ Let's see what you look like under that helmet. You sound hot~”

They unlatched her helmet, blowing the pink pollen into her face as she let out a low moan of blissful arousal.

“Crap, they got Red! Blue, get them away from her!” Wendy called, then turned to Katherine and Patricia. “Yellow, cover Blue, and Green, with me!”

Katherine and Wendy charged the vines that guarded Mother Naturia while Chetana and Patricia engaged the three plantgirls. Rapid fire from Patricia's blaster knocked them back, while Chetana slashed away at the vines the Fae-touched put up as defensive barriers. But there always seemed to be more, and before they could reach her, Tina was tightly wrapped in flowered vines as they merged together to form a pod around her.

“This is bad...very bad...” Chetana quickly slashed away at the remainder, but Patricia's blaster fire only slightly marred the outer part of the pod. They could already see it throbbing, glowing in an odd green as moans of pleasure were heard from within. “...this isn't right, it shouldn't be converting her at such an alarming rate! Unless...it's drawing in her conceptual energy to fuel the conversion!”

“So it's leeching off her power to turn her? Damn!” Patricia exclaimed. “Can't you do anything about it?!”

“Not with these Fae-touched interfering... Yellow, I need you to run interference.”

“Wait...what?” Patricia looked confused for a moment, then something clicked. “Got it!” She used her hammer to slam the ground and try to disrupt the vines as they burrowed around, while Chetana used her blade-whip to cut up the vines that were attacking and defending, hoping she could get close enough for her weapon to cut into the pod's hide...

Meanwhile, Wendy and Katherine were doing what they could to penetrate Mother Naturia's defenses while avoiding the attempts from the remaining four Fae-touched plantgirls.

“She shored up her defenses.” Katherine observed. “Her own vines and the Fae-touched's efforts have made it almost impossible to do this without all five of us working together. And yet, it's necessary to split up to draw their numbers...”

“You better not be saying we can't win this!” Wendy fumed. “I just got cleared of quarantine, I don't want to get put back in there again! And I don't want to be some slutty flower girl, either!”

“Oh, but you'll know my never-ending love, dearest Black Ranger~” Naturia cooed. “Like your former companions have~ I'm a very loving mother, and an enthusiastic lover~”

“Eeeeugh!”

“Plants and flowers regularly release pollen to pollinate each other and fertilize themselves several times over.” Chetana commented over comms. “Flora typically are of both sexes, and regularly breed with each other.”

“You mean to tell me flowers are huge sluts?!”

“Oh my oh my, that's a terrible way to say such a thing, dear~” Naturia giggled, and while Wendy was distracted a few vines had snared her arm and pulled her into another pink cloud of pollen.

“No!” Katherine panicked a little, rapidly firing despite her prior discipline to pierce through the copious vines that defended Naturia from attack.

“Yes~ Another pinned, and now... mmmh, another loving daughter~”

“I'm sorry everyone...I couldn't get her out in time...” Chetana lamented, and the pod bloomed, revealing beautiful petals as an altered Tina cooed and caressed herself. Sporting a mix of dark red and green hair, deep red lips, and vivid green eyes to go with her pale green skin, she looked like an enhanced exotic beauty compared to the other Fae-touched.

“Diantinas~ Come, aid your mother in bringing your friends into the fold. Show them the bliss of my love~”

“Mmmh, yes Mother~” Diantinas purred huskily, and blew a pink mist at Patricia and Chetana. They quickly jumped clear, but their positioning led them to be surrounded by Fae-touched plantgirls and the pink pollen mist. Off in the pollen mist, Patricia, Chetana, and Katherine could hear Wendy moaning as she was likely about to be put in a pod.

“Any plans?” Patricia asked with a bit of panic in her tone. “Blue?”

“I've contributed what I've could... if we only had access to some kind of herbicide or source of fire, we could turn things around...”

“What about you, Green?” Patricia said with an almost pleading tone in her voice. “You have to have something for us from scans and such...”

“...we need all five of us to get out of this predicament with our current level of skill and power.”

“...so...this is it?” Patricia sounded a little crest-fallen, and it was at that moment that a voice called out.

“GOLDFIRE BLAZE!!!”

Suddenly, a curtain of brilliant yellow-gold fire erupted from the ground around them, spreading quickly and burning up the pink pollen mist and vines that had them pinned in. The Fae-touched plantgirls, including Diantinas, recoiled in fear, and found the fire moving about them and herding them away from the Rangers while burning away the pod that Wendy had been put into. She fell to the ground as the purifying flames both burned away the transmutative liquid covering her and re-energized her willpower, causing her to awaken from a blissful stupor.

“The hell is all this?!” Wendy exclaimed, and suddenly the gold flames merged and shifted to allow a straight path to Mother Naturia, who was trying to avoid the flames as much as she could.

“I...can't get away! This fire burns into the very earth!”

“We have a straight shot to the Fae-kin!” Chetana called out. “Open fire!”

A volley of shots fired into Mother Naturia, and Chetana closed the distance quickly, knowing that she needed to slash away all the roots to pull the Fae-kin from the ground. Her blade-whip extended outwards, obeying her will as it lashed and slashed away at the roots and large flower containing Mother Naturia, before constricting around her 'legs' and pulling her from the middle of the large flower she was a part of.

“Nooooo, please! This isn't right! A mother should receive love and bliss, not this pain! Those blades...this fire... they're devilish!”

“A mother should receive those things. But a true mother does not force her love onto others in an attempt to mould them to her liking.” Chetana corrected. “You are a concept that twists the beauty of nature and motherhood. You will be expunged from this woman.”

With an elegant twirl that turned into a short dance, the blade-whip slashed countless times across the Fae-kin, disrupting the conceptual conversion on her until it was finally stripped away by the last lash. Naturia faded into mist as Edith Gardner, fully intact, laid unconscious. The other Fae-touched froze in place as their howls of fear came to a stop, and they returned to normal, with Tina falling to her knees and breathing heavily.

The golden flames then died down, and a second later dissipated completely, leaving no smoke or scent of burnt ground or plants. There wasn't any trace that the fire was even there.

“Rangers, retrieval teams are on their way to the Botanical Gardens.” Bohra called over the comms channel. “Daughter, Miss Robertson, I want you to secure the area and search for anyone suspicious, we need to know where those flames came from, and whose voice that was. Miss Jefferson, I want you to help Miss Gutierrez and Miss Urashima and get them into quarantine.”

“Dammit! I just got out today!” Wendy kicked a nearby light pole, bending it and pulling it out of the ground.

“Miss Urashima! You'll be-! ...never mind, I'll file a report saying that it was damaged during the battle. You have your orders. Debriefing will be held tomorrow.”

As the aftermath of the battle led into clean-up, no one noticed how some vines were slowly creeping back into the ground. A ways away, hidden by brush and trees, laid a dozen vibrant. powder blue roses with white frosted edges. They moved with a will of their own, creeping along, pausing to either feel out a route with an unknown destination or when civilians walked nearby. One that was in an isolated area froze up as two people approached, then seemed to relax as they came up to it.

“So, of the twenty five seeds, twelve remain after having bloomed.”

Prince Tethas stood next to Faareha, observing the flower.

“Yes. Nearly won. Unknown variable stopped successsss.” Faareha's eyes glowed, and the hidden scales grew up the back of her hands as she started to grow irritated.

“Do not fret, Madam Faareha. As long as even one of these flowers is intact and in the wild, this particular plan will still be in motion. Perhaps it is better that they lie low.”

“Indeed. The Rangers will likely prepare countermeasures in case they have to deal with this particular plan again, fufufufu~”

Kyoko appeared, drawing a questioning look from Tethas.

“...it would be unwise for three of the four leaders of the FIF to be in one spot, even if the Rangers are currently spent. Whomever used that strange fire is out there, and we should assume they are not our ally.”

“Indeed!” Kyoko muses. “Which is why I am here: to request permission to look into this new player. It's rather remarkable that they have an ability that can harm us conceptually, is it not?”

“Yes.” He gives a nod. “It is peculiar. The humes are getting inventive again, and I don't like it. We'll need to step up our game. You have permission, Lady Kyoko.”

“Fufufufu~”

The fox-woman disappears in an icy mist, and Faareha looks to Tethas quizzically.

“What next?”

He gives the flower one more contemplative look, then turns away from it. With a motion to Faareha, she follows suit.

“A gift for the Rangers. With strings attached, of course.”

Later that evening, Chetana and Katherine were in Dr. Bohra's office. They faced Dr. Bohra, giving a preliminary report of the day's mission as their commander looked upon them sternly. She said nothing as they gave their findings and personal observations, and it was only after several seconds of unnerving silence that she did speak up.

“...that turn of luck was planned.”

It was difficult for Katherine to read the expression on Dr. Bohra's face, but Chetana had a bit more insight, and spoke up.

“You think the team being watched? Not just by the Fae? It can't be the DoD.”

Bohra shook her head. “No, the DoD were in as much trouble as we were, and they have been unable to develop MagiTech as of yet. All their MagiTech equipment comes from Project MTR R&D, and only what is deemed safe for non-Ranger use. That attack falls outside of it.”

“Then who helped us?” Katherine was genuinely puzzled, and she had a feeling that there was more to this than Dr. Bohra was open to speaking about. “If they're watching us and helped us, why aren't they making themselves known? We could use their resources-”

“They already are helping us, Miss Robertson.” Bohra corrected. “Do you think that the resources we receive stem solely from what the government gives us? We are working under them, and while that means we have a yoke, it allows us to collaborate with others who might find our technology helpful. And profitable.”

Katherine blinked and pursed her lips, but before she could speak, Bohra interrupted. “By profitable, I do not mean that the technology is being sold. What I mean is something more to do with merit and progress. There are a multitude of companies who work closely with the U.S. Government and enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with it. Aeronautics, military, Silicon Valley, the list goes on. The vast majority of them are ignorant of MagiTech's existence, and I would prefer to keep it that way. But a select few have been informed, and thankfully they are ones that I trust to keep discretion as their highest priority in handling the technology I have developed, while providing resources to us necessary to continue the fight.”

Chetana cleared her throat as she addressed her mother. “Then are we to assume that we are not the only Project MTR?”

There was a brief moment that passed, which Chetana almost missed. A moment where her mother's eyes betrayed something. It was the briefest slip of a guard, but that's all that Chetana could tell, and she wasn't prepared enough to figure out what it meant.

“...there is only one Project MTR, and it is run by me. There is only one place where MagiTech research and development is being performed, and it is here. But this base requires discretion, and as such, we cannot conduct the level of testing I would prefer in base. Therefore, there are other areas where testing is done.”

The implications weighed heavily on Katherine and Chetana. Especially Chetana, who realized that her mother is hiding a great deal more than she has thus indicated.

“This conversation never leaves this room.”

It was an order from the acting commander of Project MTR.

End of Chapter 12


	16. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of a two part adventure! The FIF find a new way to try and get at the Rangers, and the degree of success is shocking! Behold the might of ages, cosmic power unbound! ...and then bound to the Fae! Will the Rangers make it out of this?

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 13: I'm a Genie in a Bottle, You Gotta Rub Your Mind Out to Me~ Part 1

Ever since the Card Game Tournament incident, Project Command determined that the Rangers themselves were at risk for being targeted by the Fae. In response to this threat, arrangements were made for DoD and Project security personnel to keep tabs on the comings and goings around each Ranger's home and places of regular activity. This task required a great deal of discretion, as not only did the role require observing the Rangers closely, it also necessitated blending in. The FIF would undoubtedly be seeking out any sign of government activity or people who were out of place around Cold Iron.

It was during one of these rotations on the night after the attack by Mother Naturia that some CIA agents were keeping an eye out Katherine's small upscale house. While MagiTech Green had been living on-base since the beginning of the Rangers' encounters with the Fae, she still returned home once every two to three days to keep up appearances. Typically this involved collecting mail, bringing home some groceries, and cleaning the apartment during the day. Sometimes she would spend more than a day at home, and her time was typically spent looking over some data over a secured remote link to Project Command's servers in between more relaxing activities.

This night was one of those nights that had Katherine planning on spending at least a day at home for the sake of not getting burned out. The agents surveying her residence radioed in confirmation of Katherine's arrival and activities before entering the house, and then settled in to keep watch for a few more hours before their shift was over.

Unfortunately for them, their focus on Katherine led to them missing a figure creeping out of the darkness, glamoured to blend into the night as it approached their car. Minutes after Katherine had closed the door behind her, the agents would catch sight of movement that was calculated to draw their attention towards the sight.

“You see that? Looked like someone hunched over?” A man in his thirties with short brown hair and grey eyes turned to his partner, another man ten years older than him with sandy blonde hair in a buzz cut.

“You see which way it went?”

“Not sure. I think it's around the back.” The thirty-year old nodded to his partner to draw his gun, which was calibrated and enhanced with MagiTech to be able to affect only Fae. Sandy blonde opened the car door and immediately had the gun aimed towards the rear of the car, while brown had the radio at the ready and stayed in the car. Slowly, the older agent stepped towards the rear, stretching his neck to try and spot whomever might be hiding.

It happened too fast for his eyes to register: something coiled around his right wrist and quickly yanked his finger away from the trigger, pulling the gun wildly to the side as the older agent was brought to the ground. The strength of the appendage was immense, packing hundreds of pounds of strength in it, yet having such control that it only sprained his finger.

“Ffuck!”

The thirty-year old's hand was about to press a button on the radio to alert Project Command when the front of the car buckled a little from a heavy weight on it. His gaze flicked up to see what it was, and that brief moment of assessment and curiosity cost him as he gazed into brilliantly glowing eyes. He was instantly transfixed as the glowing, opalescent irises pulled him in, and waves of hypnotic power dulled his mind. The older agent at this time had been completely wrapped up in a prehensile tail, powerful muscles squeezing him tightly to make him light-headed, while denying him enough breath to call out for help.

The thirty-year old's gaze was held, each second feeling like an eternity of falling into those beautiful depths, until...

“Sleep.”

He dozed off into a hypnotic, dreamless sleep. Now the creature could deal with the blonde agent, and due to his light-headedness, his trance was brought about quickly once he could regain his breath.

“Breathe deep... do not panic, relax... breathe...in and out...deeper and deeper, as you gaze and fall deeper and deeper...”

The voice was a woman's, with an exotic tone to it and a slight hiss that sounded like softly falling rain. The tone and softness brought him some comfort to his addled mind, and soon he went to a dreamless sleep on command. The creature lowered him, carefully depositing him back into the car and closed the door. They would not wake until the morning, and the enchanted sleep brought about by her hypnosis would ensure that they remembered nothing. Now she could carry out her task.

No one else was in the street, and the sounds had been muffled enough that no one would be curious enough to have a look, so the creature slithered into the street, revealing the silhouette of a twelve foot long creature. From the waist down she had the body of a snake, and from the waist up a gorgeous olive-skinned woman with copper scales lightly covering her breasts, upper arms, and going up her back and neck. Her hair was black and swept back, falling in an alluring curtain that framed her attractive face, and her eyes were slitted and golden. A long tongue flicked out to taste the air, picking up the faint scent of Katherine Robertson.

She followed the scent, and as she approached the door of Katherine's residence, she began to shrink. Her elongated proportions, fitting her length, began to melt inward as her hair seemed to pull away from her neck and face to gain a bit of volume. The scales began to recede, though some remained, as her tail quickly shrank into her and turned into two legs. Clothing formed around her short, nude body, and she pulled her hair free of her jacket.

She reached the door, scanning the outside of it with her eyes before seeing the doorbell, and reached into her jacket to pull out a parcel that looked like it shouldn't have fit inside its inner pockets. Once it was tucked into a corner on the front porch, she rang the doorbell and hung a delivery order slip on the door handle, before quickly slipping away. Within seconds, her glamour was up again, and she disappeared into the night.

Fifteen seconds after that, Katherine opened the door, and found both the delivery order slip and the parcel on her front porch.

“...what is this, I don't remember...”

As she picked it up, the package seemed to shimmer briefly, and Katherine's mind blanked a moment. She shook her head, with the notion that the package had been a mistaken delivery a hiccup of her mind, and she took it inside.

“Huh... I...kind of forgot what I ordered.” She brought it into the living room and sat down, bringing out her keys to cut through the package's tape and open it up. She took note of the 'fragile' mark on it, and took care to avoid causing any damage to the contents inside as she brought it out. What she saw was unusual.

It was a jeweled brass bottle of some kind. Lidded at the top with a jewel-encrusted stopper, it tapered inward a bit from the lip and sloped down until tapering outward in an oblong, rounded shape, before tapering in and out a few more times into a flat base. Lining the sides of the brass bottle were quartz and emeralds, with etched, elegant patterns in the sides that framed the gems. It looked like a tacky trinket, a little over a foot tall and about ten inches at its widest, where it appeared that it held the most volume.

“...weird...what is this thing...?”

Katherine gave a thorough examination of the brass bottle, thinking how it looked constructed in the vein of a middle-eastern aesthetic. She chuckled a bit as she thought about tales of genies, although modern media would depict them coming out of a brass oil lamp, rather than something like a bottle.

She blinked a few times, and fatigue from the events of the day were quickly catching up with her. Rubbing her eyes, Katherine carried the bottle with her into her bedroom, setting it on a nightstand near her bed.

“Day off tomorrow, I'll deal with this then.”

Katherine would soon drift off to sleep. The ornate brass bottle stood there unassuming, until the inlaid gems seemed to glimmer a little bit...

“So, fancy meeting you here.” Wendy said with some snark towards Tina. The grin on her face was one that Tina would consider bordering shit-eating territory, but she sucked it up and took it in stride.

“Get your licks in. I know this is your third time in a row getting evaluated for Fae influence.” Tina stretched back and leaned into the sterile bench she and Wendy were sitting on, while Wendy let out a huff from the response.

“...this is your third time too, right? There was the thing as a cheerleader, then as a trading card character in multiple decks, and now as some lust-crazed plant-woman.”

Tina sighed, running both hands through her loose hair. “Yeah. You'll be out sooner than me, I think. You weren't turned, just shoved into a flower pod. You lucked out.”

Wendy shook her head. “We were done for back there. Then somehow, we're saved.” She slammed a fist into the bench, making it vibrate a bit. “This sucks. We got screwed, and had to get help from...from someone who used some magical fire? What, is a wizard going to show up to help us now, like Gandalf the White popping up out of nowhere?”

“I'd expect that reference from Patricia, not you.” Tina chuckled.

“Hey, I watched the movies! ...they were really good. Ending to the third one got me crying a bit when Bilbo and Frodo left with the elves.”

“...honestly? Same here. It was nice, but bittersweet. Like a long retirement, but...there was no coming back from it.” This time, Tina's sigh was more wistful, and she offered Wendy a smile. “We'll find out the full details from Dr. Bohra and Chetana, I think. For now, let's just try to decompress. This is getting pretty routine, so I wouldn't worry over the details until there is something to worry about.”

Wendy seemed as if she was going to say something in response to that, but she didn't follow through with it. Instead, she gave a bemused smile to Tina and patted her on the shoulder.

“...I think I'm starting to get you a bit better. And you're not as bad or as much of a pain in my ass as I thought you'd be.”

The comment got a laugh from Tina. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence!”

The door opened before Wendy could reply, and in walked Chetana in the process of reviewing data on a MagiTech datapad. Directing it towards Wendy, she scanned her vitals as the received data was compared to what was on file.

“Well, what's the prognosis?” Wendy tilted her head, eyeing Chetana.

“...you're cleared, Wendy. Feel free to leave at any time.” Chetana then angled the datapad towards Tina, getting some more analysis of her own body and finding less discrepancies than before. “But I'm afraid you have to stick around a little longer, Tina. There's still residual influence from the foreign concept on you.”

“Agh...” A look of disappointment crossed her face. “Guess I'm sitting pretty in here still.”

“Hey, better that you don't turn prettier and green, right?” Wendy grinned, getting up and provoking a semi-playful huff. “Relax, Red, you'll be out of here before you know it.”

“Let's hope it's before another attack...” Tina sighed, looking back to Chetana as Wendy waved and made her way out. The door closed behind her, and Wendy made her way out of the Medical Bay, taking an elevator back up to leave Project Command. Despite training on-site and learning the layout of the areas open to her, she didn't like the idea of being underground. She had a life to live too, so making this place her new home was not something she participated in, unlike those analysts who had to live close by or on the base. Speaking of which...

Wendy paused to speak to two people she recognized as being among the analysis staff. “Hey, you guys seen Katherine today?”

Both of them shook their heads, with Tim speaking up. “Not today, but I know she went home last night after her shift. She was run ragged, doing a double shift after that fight you guys had with the hot plant chick.”

His co-worker shook his head. “Tim, come on. You ever think about what you say? That Fae-kin got the Red Ranger, and the Black Ranger here almost wound up the same.”

“Hey, I'm not apologizing for calling things as I see them! She was hot! So was Tina as a hot plant-woman! And Wendy would probably have been too!”

Wendy got a twitch in her eye, reflexively clenching her fist before cracking a grin.

“Oh really? I would have been hot as a brainwashed plant-woman?”

“Yeah! Well, you're all hot in your own ways.” Tim said matter-of-factly. “Each of you have your fans on base. Jack here has a thing for you.”

“Tim, I swear to god if Wendy doesn't kick your ass, I will!”

Tim lacking a filter and his co-worker's reaction was too much. Wendy failed in stifling a guffaw, and she quickly took off.

“...so Jack, when are you gonna kick my ass? I'm ready to go right now, buddy!”

“SHUT THE HELL UP, TIM!”

The next morning came, and Katherine awoke to feeling less drained than she had the night before. Immediately after stepping out of bed, her eyes settled on the brass bottle that she had set on the nearby nightstand. Now that she had a clearer head, she took the time to look it over a bit more. While a bit gaudy-looking, it was polished well to let the brass shine, and the emeralds and quartz inlaid in the bottle's side looked to be the real deal, lacking the plastic-like shine that costume jewelry tended to have.

“How strange...”

She picked it up, feeling the smoothness of the brass, cupping the bulging middle of the bottle where its contents would settle. Rubbing her fingertips along it sent a feeling of warmth along them, and she found herself subconsciously doing it more and more.

As she did so, the emeralds and quartz seemed to shine a bit brighter, catching her eyes. But before she could paw at it any further, she received a call. A slight utterance of disapproval slipped from her throat, and with a quick look at the bottle, she set it down and picked up her cell phone.

“Yes, hello? Oh, Wendy. How did the examination go last night?”

She spoke with Wendy a bit more to catch up on hers and Tina's prognosis, before the conversation turned to matters not related to Project MTR.

“I'm actually taking the day off to relax, though I do plan on going over some data around lunch. Some of it will be recordings off our helmets, so...maybe you could come over and tell me your thoughts on some of it?”

After a bit more convincing, Wendy agreed, and Katherine's tone became a little more cheerful. “Thanks. I'm not much for analyzing things from a combat perspective, so your expertise in positioning and situational awareness might help me out. I'll see you in a while. Be sure to bring your own lunch, though. I tend to pack light where I live. ...okay, sure thing. See you soon.”

Katherine hung up, and turned her attention back to the bottle. Maybe she could give this thing a closer look in the meantime? She picked it up again, stroking her thumbs along its surface and relishing a sense of coolness and warmth along the metal as she made her way to the front door. Finally, her eyes looked up towards the top of the bottle, and the jewel-encrusted stopper, as she unlocked the front door to go pull up her garbage cans.

“...hell with it. It doesn't seem like there's anything in this thing, so there shouldn't be any harm in opening it up...”

She popped the top.

And a massive amount of smoke billowed out in an almost comical fashion, much like how champagne would shoot out of a bottle of similar size after getting shaken up.

“What the hell?!”

She began to cough as the smoke engulfed her, obscuring her completely. It was getting hard to breathe as the thick cloud suffused the air around her, and she couldn't see what she was doing. Then she felt something tug lightly at her navel.

“Huh?”

There was another tug almost immediately after that, then she breathed in again, taking in more of the smoke. A third tug followed, lurching her forward and seeming to take her breath away as more smoke filtered into her lungs. Then a fourth, and she felt herself pulled off her feet and...tumbling...tumbling...

The smoke tumbled back into the bottle with her, and with a sucking, sealing sound, closed shut. Inside the bottle, Katherine felt like she was being buffeted by immense power. It roiled and churned, and every breath and tumble she took made it feel like it was flowing into her. She tried pushing it out, tried to cough, to heave it out of her, but more and more she knew she was being filled with some kind of power.

THOU HAST BEEN DEEMED WORTHY.

What was she worthy of? What was going on?! She wanted out of whatever this place was!

THOU ART INSIDE THE VESSEL OF THE EFREETA, MIGHTY BEING OF POWER AND COSMIC STRENGTH.

She didn't know what an efreeta was or what it meant to be such a being, she just wanted out!

IMPOSSIBLE. THOU ART CHOSEN. THOU SHALT SERVE UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS THE HOLDER OF THE VESSEL IS SATISFIED. THEN THOU SHALT SLUMBER UNTIL THE TIME OF SERVICE BEGINS ANEW.

No...like a genie?! No, she didn't want that! But in the clutches of whatever force was contracting her to serve, it was impossible to resist. Immense power filled her as her body became immaterial. Soon, her essence was joined with the essence of great and unlimited cosmic power. She felt herself bend. Twist. Her entire existence was being subverted to becoming something greater than human, yet ultimately lacking any agency. The last thought on her mind before she felt herself and her thoughts become something else was how that notion was similar to how the FIF described becoming a Fae...

Wendy rang the doorbell to Katherine's house. It had been a few hours since they spoke over the phone, and while Wendy carried a light lunch with her, she really wanted to sit down and get started on eating so she could speak to her teammate. She waited a minute, then rang the doorbell again and waited a bit longer.

“Ugh... Katherine, if this door is open, you could just yell out to me or something. Your place doesn't look that big...”

Another two minutes, and Wendy's patience was at its limit, she knocked, then yelled “Open the door, Katherine, I'm sick of waiting!”, before finally testing the doorknob. To her surprise, it was open, and she flung the door wide and stepped in.

“Where the hell are you?!”

Her foot hit something on the ground, and Wendy heart the skitter of metal on tile as her eyes settled on a jewel-encrusted bottle.

“The hell? What's this?” She moved over to it, but it seemed that her foot making contact with it was enough to awaken whatever was inside it, and it vibrated on the floor before standing upright. Wendy's eyes had a moment to widen as the top popped off, and a woosh of smoke and sound flooded the room before her. It quickly began to condense itself, taking on an alluring, voluptuous feminine shape that Wendy quickly recognized.

Despite the slight improvements to her figure and the styled and wavy dark locks of hair that were speckled with what looked like diamond dust, it was clearly Katherine. She wore an opaque, soft green face veil with gem links that were entwined into her hair, and a matching middriff-bearing silk bikini that showed stiff nipples, with matching harem dancer's pants.

“Greetings~ I am the efreeta of this vessel. Are thou my master?”

Almost immediately, Wendy transformed into MagiTech Black, and angled her bo staff at the transformed Ranger, much to Katherine's dismay.

“Oh dear! Warrior of great power, please! Cease your hostility, I mean you no ill will! I simply wish to serve the one who holds my vessel. That is my purpose, and one I humbly and obediently accept.”

“And how do I know you're not a Fae-kin?” Wendy retorted. “The 'I Dream of Jeannie' shtick is new, but Fae-kin have been tricky before.”

“A...Fae-kin? Oh dear... you mistake me for one of the Tricksters! Dear me, that's not my purpose, and that is certainly not my intent. Here, let me show you that I mean nothing but the utmost sincerity.” Katherine confided. “I will grant you any wish that you ask of me. Any wish is within my power, but be mindful that I will not take a life, and you must word your wish to match your intentions in a concise manner so that I may not misinterpret it. Such is my contract as an efreeta.”

The bo staff was still aimed at Katherine, but Wendy seemed a little less tense.

“...make a banana and strawberry smoothie, using only the freshest ingredients, and make it instantly, placed in a smoothie glass like the ones from the health shop down on H Street and 34th Street in Downtown Cold Iron City. On that counter.”

She nodded to the counter behind Katherine, and the transformed Ranger smiled as she snapped her fingers. Instantly, the requested item appeared.

“...holy crap...so you're a genie now...” Wendy lowered her bo staff, and dematerialized it as she de-morphed. Almost immediately after, Dr. Bohra's voice came in over the morpher's communicator.

“Miss Urashima. I was about to ask the purpose of using your morpher frivolously, but it seems that there was a legitimate reason.”

“Dr. Bohra?”

Wendy brought the morpher up as a holographic image of Dr. Bohra appeared.

“It seems that Miss Robertson has had an unfortunate turn of events. From what we can surmise with our initial scans, she is not a Fae-kin. But she is not human either. The wavelengths and energy patterns are unlike anything we've come across as of yet. But they seem to be connected to that bottle. Procure it, and bring her here. We'll try to get things sorted out.”

With a nod, Wendy moved over to where the bottle stood, but she was quickly attacked from behind by Fae Troopers.

“Wha-?! Damnit! How'd you get here?! Let me go!”

Her grip on her morpher was tight, but the sudden attack had her disoriented as they threw her outside of Katherine's house. One of the troopers quickly grabbed the bottle, and Katherine zipped into it out of a need to hide.

“Bastard, let her go!”

But as she prepared to morph again, they all disappeared. Wendy was pinged again as she cursed, and Dr. Bohra appeared again over comms.

“I take it you were overwhelmed.”

“NO SHIT.”

The image of Dr. Bohra closed her eyes in frustration, but she didn't press the issue further.

“Miss Gutierrez is still undergoing evaluation, so she will be unable to assist the team at this time. It's up to you, my daughter, and Miss Jefferson to pursue the Fae Troopers that kidnapped Miss Robertson. Be mindful, I believe the readings and what footage we've seen of Miss Robertson's condition indicate that she is now a being of immense power, but subservient to the one holding the vessel that contains her. If the Fae have control of her, it could be distrastrous.”

“...g-Got it. Can you at least track her?”

Dr. Bohra nodded. “Her conceptual signature is unique and strong enough that we should be able to pick her up from anywhere. And tracking the Fae Troopers shouldn't be too difficult. I have a feeling this will be one of their more outlandish plays, so the issue isn't trying to follow them, but trying to mitigate their damage.”

“I was afraid that was the case.”

“Lead Miss Jefferson and my daughter. Get Miss Robertson back, and prevent the Fae from using her power to convert the city. Rendezvous with the others.”

“Got it. Conceptualize! MagiTech Black!”

Wendy would soon join Patricia and Chetana as they grouped together atop a few buildings, and Chetana took over for Katherine's usual duties. Frequent updates to the Fae Troopers' movements were provided from Project Command, and despite their best efforts, the energy signature of Katherine's new state was still able to be tracked. Soon enough, the Rangers closed in on the Troopers' whereabouts, and discovered that they were taking back alleys towards crowds of people.

“We need to stop them.” Chetana commented. “If what Katherine said in her altered state was true, she's become an efreeta, which are the basis for legends of the djinn. I'm rather surprised she's not appearing as they traditionally do: beings of fire and smoke, more akin to certain depictions of devils and demons.”

“I'm not complaining.” Patricia quipped. “Better that she's a genie-lookalike than a fiery hell-person.”

“In old lore, efreeta were wild and unpredictable, causing mayhem and using their heat and smoke to maim and kill.” Chetana added. “Sorcerers would create vessels to seal the efreeta inside to remove them as a threat, and this mingled with stories of powerful spirits and demons offering boons and wishes to those who would release them. This eventually found its way into myth and old tales of vagabonds and those down on their luck making such deals, either ultimately for their benefit or with a price to pay at the end. Such tales found themselves into compilations of stories, such as 'A Thousand and One Nights', and from there the popular notion of genies took off.”

“Interesting history lesson. But how does that help us reverse what's been done to Katherine?” Wendy asked.

“Well... I've never heard tales of people forcefully being turned into efreeta, djinn, or genies. There's always an occasional tale or modernization that has a wish for ultimate power backfire, and the person who made the wish loses all agency by becoming a wish-granting genie. There's a precedent for humans becoming genies as these tales come into the modern era, but never without some play at karma or a moral being told. And never those who are innocent. So... I'd say we should be hopeful that we can turn Katherine back.”

“Hopeful. Okay.” Wendy was uncertain of Chetana's claim, but she kept the hope of returning Katherine to normal in her heart. “Dr. Bohra, did you manage to record the footage of what Katherine explained to me?”

“In regards to her powers? Yes. And we've played the recording for my daughter and Miss Jefferson, so they're up to speed on what you encountered.”

“That is why I believe we can reverse this process.” Chetana nodded. “If we're able to retrieve the bottle, we can give an exacting wish that should conceivably undo the contract, returning her humanity.”

“Good! Great! Then let's kick some Fae butt!” Patricia said cheerily, and the three of them dropped to the ground in front of the Fae Troopers as they exited the back alleyway. “Hold it! Let that bottle go!”

“Or don't.” Wendy got into a fighting stance. “You're in for pain either way.”

A sudden beeping flared from Chetana's HUD, and she rushed to push the other two down before taking the smallest part of Faareha's tail across her back.

“aaUUh!”

“Damn, Ch-! Blue! You okay?!” Patricia helped her up, and the three quickly recovered as the Fae Troopers gave the bottle to the twelve foot tall cobra-woman. People nearby caught sight of the spectacle that was unfolding, and began to clear out in a panic. One of the Fae Troopers handed the bottle to Faareha, who grinned widely as her plans culminated.

“Hhsssssss... foolisssssh Rangersssss... you have played right into my handsssss. Come forth, efreeta of the bottle!”

The top popped open, and a blast of smoke shot out as Katherine appeared.

“Oh...oh dear... it seems my bottle has fallen into the hands of the Tricksters. But now one among the sands holds my bottle. Youngling, are you in league with the Tricksters? Why?”

“Sssilence!” Faareha spat. “Do not pretend to be one of the efreeta of old! You are simply an inheritor who is meant to be used! Fool hume!”

“Drop the bottle, snake!” Wendy summoned her bo staff, ready to fight. “That's our teammate you've got there!” Patricia and Chetana followed suit, summoning their respective weapons. Without a word said, Patricia immediately leaped into action. Willing herself to move faster than Faareha's strike could, Patricia was right next to the cobra-woman in a blink, and used her warhammer as leverage to kick the bottle up and out of her foe's grip. The look of shock on Faareha's face as she was so quickly foiled turned to rage. Her tail whipped towards the Yellow Ranger to punish her, and Patricia was able to react fast enough to let her weapon take the brunt of the blow. But she still took it, and she was sent skipping over the pavement as Faareha tried to launch herself after the bottle.

The power behind her movement had her so close to reacquiring the bottle and gaining control over Katherine, only for Chetana's blade-whip to wrap around it from a farther distance than the Fae had encountered before. With a yank, Chetana had the bottle in hand, and Katherine smiled. The efreeta then turned to Faareha as she moved passively over to Chetana.

“Dearest daughter of the sands... you are filled with anger. Why? I fear what might have come, had you demanded a wish from me.”

Faareha grit her teeth, and gestured for the Fae Troopers at her disposal to attack.

“Blue, get away from here!” Wendy waved Chetana away as she engaged the goons, effectively staving them off with her bo staff while Patricia recovered. “Make a wish or something to turn her back to normal, now! Yellow and I will hold them off here!”

“Understood!” Chetana took off, flicking her wrist to slice away at some encroaching Fae Troopers before they could reach her, and leaped up onto the rooftops. Her blade-whip turned back into its estoc form as she surveyed the scene below her for a brief moment. It looked like Patricia was back on her feet, and her own intuition with how to best utilize her abilities was quickly proving effective in subduing the Troopers.

“Nnooo! Give her back!!” Faareha slithered quickly after Chetana, but Wendy was quick to intercept, and her own skill in a fight allowed her to get a read on some of the strikes coming her way, while parry most of the rest with her bo staff. 

“Geez, you're fast! But I've got you handled!”

“Daughter!” Dr. Bohra's voice was heard over the comms, and Chetana turned from the action to receive the message. “You've received an order from the acting team leader. Withdraw to a safe distance and learn what you can from Katherine's condition so that we can reverse it. She is not a Fae-kin, so you need to utilize what we've learned and what you know regarding efreeta lore.”

“Understood, mother.” She turned to Katherine, who had been hovering with her. “Follow me, okay?”

“Of course. I am here to serve, kind o-”

A look of surprise passed Katherine's face as she saw something behind Chetana, but before the Ranger could react in time, a powerful force struck her and sent her flying. Her grip on the bottle loosened, and it fell out of her grasp, only for the one responsible to fly down and grab the bottle in one swift swoop.

Landing back on the rooftop, leering over Chetana and the other Rangers, was Silver Knight. His wings outstretched and posed triumphantly, the draconic figure had Katherine's bottle in his hand.

“I thought you might need a bit of assistance, Madam Faareha. You were quite fortunate I was able to arrive! The Prince would be quite remiss about another failure on your part!”

“SSSSSss! SSSilver Knight! What are you doing here?!”

“'Covering your ass', as these humes would say! Hahahahaha!”

“No! Katherine!” Chetana struggled to get to her feet in time, but Fae Troopers were now rounding up nearby civilians. Her attention turned between the two, and she knew that with Patricia and Wendy focused on hemming in Faareha, she couldn't reach both Katherine and the hostages in time.

“MagiTech Blue, we meet again. It's been some time since you failed fighting us, but I'll give you a chance to make up for it. You have two choices presented before you: save those humes from being taken to our realm and being used against you... or try to fight me for control of your friend. Choose now!”

“Blue!” Wendy called back to her. “Get the bottle! Don't let him make any wishes!”

But it was Katherine who helped Chetana make her choice. “Blue one, do not fear. Save those innocent people. These Fae...they cannot master my power, for they are beings of ice and winter, while I am a being of flame and smoke. We are diametrically opposed, and therefore we are fated to never cooperate.”

“Ggrr, you-!” 

With that bit of info, Chetana quickly made her way towards the Fae Troopers and used her estoc to begin clearing them out. Silver Knight gripped the bottle as he watched on, seeming like he was about to crush it, but it burned lightly against his hand in resistance.

“...well played, efreeta. But you assume much.”

His other hand glowed, an airborne draconic sigil glowing in it.

“I am not just a Fae. I am a dragon too. And we dragons have a history of claiming ownership over your kind.”

“N-no...” Katherine looked on weakly, and the sigil was slammed into the side of her bottle, channeling draconic magic into the vessel to assert control and bypass Katherine's protections. Then came the Fae magic to properly bring her under control. Suddenly, Katherine froze in place with an expression of shock on her face, and a feeling of chilliness taking hold of her.

“Wait, what is he doing?! Silver Knight, what did you do?!” Wendy yelled out, and watched as Katherine seemed to vibrate and tremble. The answer quickly made itself known.

Katherine's proportions, already lovely and enviable for having a dancer's grace, grew even more exaggerated in their femininity. Her thighs thickened, rear plumping, hips growing out to an erotic width that emphasized her lower half. Her waist slimmed and breasts grew out to an F cup to give her a waspish hourglass figure, as her trembling turned into erotic tremors of lust. With a low moan of pleasure, Katherine's lips plumped into bee-stung lips tipped with vivid blue lipstick behind a now diamond-speckled icy blue veil, and her irises changed color to match her lipstick. Her hair turned into a cascade of voluminous brown hair with wintry blue streaks through it, and it did itself into a high ponytail that swelled out from behind a silver tiara. Her attire turned far more lewd and enticing, as the bikini turned into translucent light blue silks that showed her hardened nipples through it, while her dancer's pants disappeared and were replaced with a silver metal thong and diaphanous ice blue silk loincloth. Her skin sparkled with silver and gold glimmers while her ears grew pointed at the top, followed by silver bracers and ankle braces appearing and clasping around her wrists. A satisfied moan of lust was heard as the efreeta came from her enslavement.

“Good. I saved us the hassle of having you to be the only one to use the genie, Faareha.” Silver Knight remarked, and the cobra-woman hissed in anger. “Now any of the Fae can use her, and she'll love every moment of it.”

“*giggle* Like, totally~ I am Ifreeza! The hot, cool Fae-genie slave~! What is your wish, hunky master?”

“No... Katherine...” Apprehension took hold of Chetana's heart as she watched her teammate undergo a second transformation, this one keyed into the Fae's power. With this development... it would be much harder to turn her back...

“Well, I do have a great many things in mind! Hahahah~” Silver Knight surveyed the scene, pointing at Faareha. “First, send Madam Faareha back to our base! She'll only be in my way.”

“You got it, sexy!” With a fingersnap, Faareha disappeared instantly, leaving Patricia and Wendy without an opponent. “What's next? I've got unlimited wishes for the Fae Invasion Forces~!”

“Well, in that case... let's make things fun for these Rangers.” Silver Knight sinisterly intoned. “How about... turning all the civilians in a three block radius into busty, bikini armored female drow fighters that obey the Fae?”

“Your wish... is my command~!”

End of Chapter 13


	17. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is bad! The Rangers are facing down a Fae-enslaved genie! Worst still, the odds are stacked against them! Perhaps the intervention of a mysterious stranger is required to tip the balance... Or maybe they'll all just end up as sexy genie-slaves, who knows?

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!

Chapter 14: I'm a Genie in a Bottle, You Gotta Rub Your Mind Out to Me~ Part 2

“Well, in that case... let's make things fun for these Rangers.” Silver Knight sinisterly intoned. “How about... turning all the civilians in a three block radius into busty, bikini armored female drow fighters that obey the Fae?”

“Your wish... is my command~!”

Hyper-feminine, shapely, themed in blue with white sparkles and diamonds, and completely obedient to Silver Knight; the new Fae-djinn dubbed Ifreeza snapped her fingers, and a burst of magic shot out in multiple directions. Down to three, the Rangers were unprepared for the magical bursts to split and target all the civilians in the area, nor were they able to prevent Silver Knight's wish from coming true. 

As each burst of magic hit the civilians, they moaned in pleasure, and the transformation took hold of them: each victim's skin began to darken, turning into a lovely shade of olive, chocolate, or gray, and their hair turned white or pink, with their ears becoming exaggerated in their elongation. Their proportions slimmed at the waist, legs, and arms before gaining some definition and muscle, while their thighs, rears, and hips widened and plumped to match how top-heavy they got from the sudden surge of tit-flesh that ballooned from their chests. Lips grew plump and curled into confident smiles or sneers, and irises turned purple. To top things off, their clothing turned into skimpy silver bikini armor with some gold embroidering, the metallic shine contrasting their dark, lovely skin and tightly clinging to their curves. Silver blades appeared in their hands to finish their physical changes, and that's when the mental changes made themselves apparent, as each Drow Fighter knelt in supplication to Silver Knight and Ifreeza.

“All hail Silver Knight!” they yelled in unison. “All hail the Fae Invasion Forces!”

“crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap” Patricia looked visibly nervous as her grip tightened around her warhammer, while Wendy and Chetana regrouped with her. Wendy nudged her to get her attention.

“Well, gamer girl? Any tips on fighting these elves?”

“Drow.” Chetana corrected. “They appear to be Drow. Dark elves, and based off of more modernized depictions of them. On that topic, I would like to know how to handle them, as this seems to be delving into gaming territory. That is your area of expertise, Yellow.”

“Well, uh... Drow never really came up in the games I played, at least not like this. And this seems to be more a table top thing, which...I have no experience with.” Patricia admitted.

“So we just beat the crap out of them then?” Wendy got into a ready stance with her polearm raised to intercept.

“Yeah, seems like that's the plan, since Silver Knight said 'fighters'.” Patricia nodded. “They'll probably be tough to fight, but I think we can handle them.”

“Focus on knocking them out.” Chetana added. “They're still victims of the Fae, so we should pull our punches.”

“Gah, make it tougher why don't you?” Wendy spat.

“I hope you three are done with your little chat, because it's time for me to watch the hired help beat you down!” The dragon-fae chuckled and gestured a command to all the new thralls he had acquired, causing them all to turn and face the three Rangers. “My dear Ifreeza, enjoy the entertainment you've provided us~”

“Of course~!” she cooed, wrapping herself around Silver Knight's arm and pressing her breasts flirtatiously into his arm as she floated. “It'll be fun to see those boring Rangers get a taste of what's coming to them!”

“Ugh, cringe.” Patricia shook her head. “Please don't tell me I was like that as a Fae-touched.”

“Pretty sure we all were.” Wendy frowned. “...well, one way or another.”

“Our behavior as Fae-touched depended on the Fae-kin who placed a foreign concept on us.” Chetana flicked her wrist to turn her estoc into its blade-whip mode. “That aside, this is particularly troublesome, since Katherine's personality was already altered considerably from her change into an efreeta. I'm worried about how pronounced both these changes to her would have...”

“Then let's make this quick! Follow me!”

Wendy charged, and the others followed her lead as a wave of shapely Drow Fighters rushed to meet them on the battlefield. Despite the clear advantage that MagiTech gave the Rangers in their abilities to deflect and outmaneuver their opponents, the drow were competent fighters and used their numerical advantage to great effect. It took a great deal of teamwork and coordination to stave off multiple rushes, sneak attacks, and dogpile attacks. But eventually, the Rangers managed to knock out roughly half of the force that opposed them before having to jump to the roof of a nearby three-story building for a breather.

“Haaah...aahhhgh...damn...! Okay, we...we can do this!” Wendy was feeling a bit of fatigue and a good deal of damage from the repeated hits, but the adrenaline high was still strong. “You two going to be okay?”

“I'm hanging in there, but I think Blue isn't doing so great.” Patricia replied. “You need a breather?”

Patricia's words were understating things, as Chetana was doing the worst out of them all. While she had taken the fewest hits and the recovery factor of the suits meant that she could heal quickly from the hits, she was unused to this level of physical exertion. This was a problem for the others, as her blade-whip had helped to give them the breathing room they needed to hold out this long.

“It seems...I'm going to need a great deal more training after this.” she groaned. “I hate to ask now, but I'm going to need to rely on you two more if we're going to continue this fight. It's a shame that Red isn't here to help. An extra man on our side would turn things in our favor.”

“Tch...” Wendy commed in to speak to Project Command when Chetana brought that point up. “Dr. Bohra, any word on Tina's clearance? We could really use her help.”

“It's still pending, unfortunately.” was the Doctor's response. “I've fast-tracked it as much as I could. Any more and we'd bring even further scrutiny from the DoD, and that would greatly impact our response time and ability to adapt to new threats with our research. All I can tell you is that she should be cleared within the next hour.”

“AN HOUR?! We don't have that time!!” Wendy yelled. “We're barely hanging in there and Silver Knight hasn't shown what his new girlfriend is really capable of yet!”

“All I can tell you, Miss Urashima, is to hold on. We're doing everything we can to give you the support you'll need for this fight.”

“Where?! What support?! This isn't the first time we've been on the brink!” Wendy growled. “You ask us to help save the world from these weirdos, and then, when it's obvious we need all the help we can get, you twiddle your thumbs and watch us twist our brains to avoid having them scrubbed outright!”

“Wendy Urashima.”

That response made Wendy blink in surprise as a slight chill went down her spine, along with an “oh no...” from Chetana. The tone in Dr. Bohra's voice now had a biting undertone to it that, while maintaining civility, warned every cell in her body that she was drawing the ire of a true predator.

“I will not tolerate a lack of discipline or focus from one who has accepted the responsibility of defending her fellow man. I will especially not tolerate antagonism from such a person who knows almost nothing about what goes on behind the scenes, yet carries herself in such a way as to presume what we are carrying out on your behalf. You will perform your duties to the utmost of your capability, as you have thus far demonstrated, and as Project Command has done in kind. Now, Miss Urashima: get back to work. Your support is coming. It's up to you to ensure you're still standing when it arrives.”

The transmission from Wendy's helmet was cut on Dr. Bohra's end, and repeated attempts to hail Project Command were met with an error on her end.

“She...cut you off.” Chetana said with a bit of a crestfallen tone.

“That bitch! RAAAGGHH!”

“Black! Chill out, okay?!” Patricia drew Wendy's anger for a brief moment as the Black Ranger got in her face, but she turned away to see the remaining Drow Fighters jeering at them.

“Having a little spat, are we?” Silver Knight laughed in mockery. “Take your time, Rangers! Unlimited power is on my side. What do I have to worry about?”

“Hehehehe~ You're all, like, soooooo funny to watch argue! Silly humes~” Ifreeza cooed.

“I'm taking crap from all sides, it seems.” Wendy growled. “Alright... I'll vent on these bitches. I know! 'Pull my punches' and that crap, I got it! I'll lead you two and give these fae hell just to spite Bohra and that armor-clad asshat! LET'S GO.”

Patricia and Chetana followed behind as Wendy leaped into the throngs of Drow Fighters. Her bo staff connected solidly with a number of bodies and skulls while Chetana and Patricia focused on giving themselves room and disarming their opponents. Despite Wendy's hot-headedness, the teamwork they had built up was giving the Rangers an edge that the Drow babes' reduced numbers were losing to.

“Hmph. Ifreeza, time to get to work.” Silver Knight intoned, and the slavish Fae-djinn squealed in delight at the chance to serve her master again. “I wish for you to split those three up.”

“Like, nothing fancy? Too bad~” she grinned girlishly. “Okay, hot stuff! One broken group formation totes coming up!”

Ifreeza snapped her fingers, and the ground underneath the Rangers suddenly sucked them up to their waists, pinning them in place. Then, as if being moved by unseen hands through quicksand, they were dragged apart in different directions before being shot out of the ground and landing on their backs with a thud.

“D-damn! Play dirty much?!” Patricia squeaked, but she, Wendy, and Chetana were quickly mobbed by the Drow Fighters before they could mount a defense. Kicks, punches, sword slashes, and shoving eventually led to the three being disarmed and forced to their knees while their arms were held behind them. One of the Drow Fighters stepped forward, grinning victoriously.

“Oh mighty Silver Knight! With your grace and the power you have gifted us, we have subdued these Rangers!”

“Hail to the Fae Invasion Forces!”

Silver Knight performed a controlled drop to the ground while still holding Ifreeza's corrupted bottle as he landed. Wendy was closest to him, and from what she could tell, his grip on the bottle was tight. He wasn't taking any chances.

“I could end things right here. One wish to reduce your powers into nothing, and another to irrevocably turn you into Fae-kin. It would be quick and easy. ...but it wouldn't be sporting, nor fun.”

Wendy could hear the smugness in his tone.

“MagiTech Black. Out of all the Rangers, you've shown a great resilience in the face of dire odds. An indomitable spirit. You impressed me with your confidence and daring during the Tournament of Will, and as such, I will give you a sporting chance to turn things around.” He calmly put the corrupted efreeta bottle next to him, before stepping forward ten feet towards her. “We will duel, one-on-one, with no weapons. My success will operate on a point system, while yours is a simple goal.”

“Oh yeah? And what are the terms of this duel?” Wendy snarked. “You'll forgive me if I don't trust you to be chivalrous or honest.”

Silver Knight growled. “If there's anything I'm deathly serious about, it's the terms of a duel and adhering to the rules established. I am still a knight, and when clear rules of engagement and decorum are established, I will follow them.” He actually seemed genuinely offended by Wendy's assertion. 

“Therefore, here are the terms: your goal is to get past me and retrieve the bottle. If you are able to do so, if you are able to get even a fingertip on it, it is your victory, and I will have Ifreeza reverse my wish to have the humes changed into Drow. My goal is to stop you. For every attempt you make that I successfully deter, I get a point, and a wish that Ifreeza will grant without fail. If I successfully deter you three times, I get three points and win our duel.”

“So how would you define 'successfully deterring' me?” Wendy wasn't about to agree to terms that were too loose. Chetana and Dr. Bohra had warned her enough about letting the Fae set loopholes for themselves to exploit.

“Yes, yes, fine. I'll narrow things down further. If I knock you down on your back or pin you during your attempt, that counts as a failure, and I gain a point. Prolonged engagements, grapples, strategic withdraws from a current skirmish, and holds do not count.”

“So you have to follow rules of a sparring match where a knockdown or pin counts, but anything else goes, like Judo? I see...” He was playing to her strengths. ...although he easily had greater mass and strength than her, so she couldn't let her guard down.

“Exactly!” he gestured, pointing towards her. “Do you agree to these terms?”

Wendy shakes her head and shrugs. “Do I have a choice?”

“No, you don't~”

“Then I guess this duel is on.”

Silver Knight got into a ready stance, folding his wings back and wrapping his tail around his waist as he gestured for the Drow Fighters to release and clear away from Wendy. The martial artist shoved one away from her with a growl, before getting into her own ready stance. Wendy moved her position, trying to gauge Silver Knight's movements and how far away he was willing to move away from the bottle. It appeared that he wasn't moving any further from it than the ten feet he had initially covered, and due to his reach and height, she estimated that he could easily cover most of that distance with a hop backward.

“I can't just maneuver around him. I need to surprise him.” she thought. “Misdirection is going to be key here, as is using his momentum against him. He's tracking me and positioning himself to face me, but he's not engaging, which means he knows that his current distance is the safest for him to guard it. If I can get him to overextend himself, that'll be my best chance.”

She sprang into action with a short hop towards him, tucking into a roll so she could deliver a spring-kick to his head when he tried to lean in to grab her. She judged correctly, ringing his bell a bit and leaving him staggered, and flipped back only to spring into a forward somersault over him.

He was quick to respond by performing a handstand to deliver a kick to her midsection and stop her forward momentum, before bopping her into the air like a volleyball with his feet. Getting back to his feet, he sprang up with a mighty jump and delivered a spinning kick to spike her into the ground eighty feet away from him.

“HhhUUUuahahhhHhgh!!”

“Black!”

Both Chetana and Patricia cried out to their teammate in concern, but they couldn't rush to her aid due to being held down. The blunt pain from colliding with the ground shook Wendy, and she wondered just how much of the impact the suit took from the strike. She bounced a further twenty feet away, feeling the air knocked out of her.

“Fuhhh...d-dammit...”

“Kehahahahaha!! Good one, Ranger! But that's clearly a knockdown, so let's see...”

Ifreeza cooed, rubbing her thighs together as she anticipated the pleasure of serving Silver Knight with a wish. The dragon-fae turned his attention to Patricia, and his chuckle sent shivers of dread down her spine.

“Ifreeza, I wish for you to turn MagiTech Yellow here into a fae-genie like you, wholly subservient to the Fae Invasion Forces!”

“MMMHhHHHGH~!!” She shuddered in anticipation, her tongue lolling out from an orgasm before she responded. “Like, totally, Master! One genie-slave for the Fae, coming right up!”

“No, don't do it Ka-!”

She gestured firing off finger-guns at Patricia, and two fast shots of magic sped out and hit Patricia in the head and groin. Almost instantly, Patricia let out a cry of ecstasy as she came, and her will surrendered to the bliss and power of Ifreeza's magic. Her proportions grew to match Ifreeza's own, while her helmet melted off her face to become an icy blue veil specked with diamonds. The yellow of her attire leeched out as it was replaced with icy blue, and her hair exploded into a curtain of wavy blonde hair with blue streaks that hid her now Fae-like ears. Her eyes glowed a vivid blue to match her new lipstick as her lips plumped out, and soon she was sporting sheer icy blue silks that did nothing to cover her erect nipples and damp sex, yet enhanced the gold and silver sparkling glimmer that was all over her skin. Rounding things out were silver armbands and anklets, alongside a stunning sapphire-encrusted tiara. Her pupils turned to throbbing hearts to show how broken she was by pleasure and bliss, and a ring popped into existence on Ifreeza's right index finger, sucking the new fae-djinn into it.

“Hee-hee~! And a rub-a-dub~!” Ifreeza rubbed the ring, and in a plume of smoke, the altered Patricia appeared, bowing before her Master and Mistress as icy mist formed her bottom half.

“I am Trishinni of the Ring, wholly subservient to the Fae! Your wish is my command~!”

Ifreeza continued to rub the ring a bit, pleasuring the new Ring Fae-djinn and making her moan and squirm.

Wendy looked on as another of her teammates fell. Again.

“...shit...”

“Do you understand the seriousness of the situation now, MagiTech Black?” Silver Knight chuckled darkly. “Why should I stop at one of your number becoming a powerful Fae-kin when I can turn ALL of you into wish-granting Fae-kin genies? You'll give us unlimited wishes to turn the whole world into a paradise for the Fae!”

“You piece of...nnghh...” Wendy struggled to her feet and walked the hundred feet back towards Silver Knight, sizing things up and letting her suit's recovery abilities heal the injuries she sustained. “Okay... now that I know what you're planning, I'm going to make sure you pay for it.”

She rushed Silver Knight, and he shifted his weight to body-check her for the reckless attack, only for her to spin around him towards his back. It was a surprise to him as he tried to perform a hook kick to catch her at the midsection, only for her to somersault over the kick and go into a roll.

“No!” He snapped his leg back and launched himself to intercept Wendy before she could come out of the roll and lunge the rest of the way. His reach was greater than her reaction time, and he slammed the bulk of his mass into her, knocking her towards the Drow Fighters. He slammed into the ground on his stomach while she flipped forward off her palms, and since she wasn't knocked down she still had a chance.

“This'll do it!”

Wendy kicked off the ground to arc just enough over Silver Knight to avoid his grasp and land next to the bottle. Or at least, that was her intent, until Ifreeza and Trishinni grabbed her in mid air, groped her breasts and rear, and then spun her right into Silver Knight's grasp for him to slam her into the ground for a pin.

“GaUUhg! That's dirty!” Wendy struggled, and Silver Knight released her, but she knew that the pin counted. She realized that he never specified that the genies couldn't interfere.

“Be fortunate that our agreement doesn't count any new Fae-djinn I acquire with my wishes, MagiTech Black. Otherwise this would be your downfall.” he mocked. “Ifreeza! The same wish, but now on MagiTech Blue!”

Trishinni giggled and blew a flirtatious kiss at Chetana as Ifreeza gave a “Your wish is totes my command!”, and zapped Chetana. With a lewd, erotic moan, another teammate was turned into a Fae-djinn: Chetana's body grew shapely to match Ifreeza's and Trishinni's, ears growing pointed at their tips while her dusky skin gained a gold and silver sparkling glimmer. Her hair gained blue streaks and became tied back into a long french braid that hung down to her feet, ending in a golden ornament. The same icy blue silks specked with diamonds covered her face in a veil, her breasts, and immodestly covered her crotch. A sapphire was placed in her belly button, and silver armlets and ankle bracers clasped with finality as she let out a moan from climax. Once again, a ring appeared on Ifreeza's finger, this time her left middle finger, and Chetana was sucked into it.

“Mmmh, so hawt~ Let's see how she feels~” Ifreeza cooed, rubbing Chetana's ring and letting the newest Fae-djinn pop out. Much like Trishinni, her lower half was engulfed in icy mist that emanated from the ring, and her pupils sported throbbing hearts.

“I am Etana of the Ring, wholly devoted to the Fae! Your wish is my command~!”

“mmmmwah~ Mmhhawh~” Ifreeza kissed her new servants on the lips, each one giggling and teasing each others' bodies in an erotic display.

“A lovely show indeed, my dears~ And soon you'll have a third to add to your collection, Ifreeza! Just as soon as MagiTech Black makes her final pathetic attempt to grab your bottle!”

Wendy clenched her fist as Silver Knight jeered at her, but... she knew she was outmatched. Now there were three genies who would undoubtedly interfere on Silver Knight's behalf. She had no chance here...

“You know how this will play out. Why not surrender, MagiTech Black?” Silver Knight had a bit of a strut as he chuckled and moved back into position. “I can promise you that you'd enjoy your new existence.”

Apprehension had now gripped Wendy's heart, and behind her helmet, she was biting her lip. Things were thoroughly stacked against her this time, and she... she had no plan to get out of it. She stood there, fighting the fear and what weighed as an inevitable failure...

It was then that a miracle occurred, as an unfamiliar voice called out.

“Look at you, standing there and hesitating. Is this the best that MagiTech Black can do?”

She turned towards the source of the voice, as did all the Drow Fighters, the Fae-djinn, and Silver Knight. Overseeing the fight crouched a figure who looked like one of the MagiTech Rangers, yet it wasn't Tina. The figure got to her feet, brandishing a wicked-looking broadsword whose blade was shaped like flame, the blade itself gold while the rest was red. That same motif was constant on this unknown Ranger, whose primary color was gold, and whose armored sections were red, with the 'T' on the chest white instead of black. Her shoulders sported armored pads that flared to the sides like flame, and the parts of her helmet, normally white for the other Rangers, was red and had jagged curves like flame, while her visor was a deeper shade of red.

“What...Who are you?!” Silver Knight demanded.

“I'm an equalizer in this fight, it seems.” she replied, posing. “I am MagiTech Gold! Black, you've got a bit of a luck streak, it seems. This'll be the second time I'm bailing you out of the fire, with some fire of my own! Take care of the draco-dork, I'll handle the gal'd up genies!”

“Who the... you know what, never mind.” Wendy shook her head. She would ask Dr. Bohra about this later.

“Ooooh, she's hot~” Trishinni cooed.

“Like, literally~!” Ifreeza giggled.

“Should we wish that fire of resistance away~?” moaned Etana. “Or maybe turn it into a cold flame of passion~?”

“Sorry ladies. You may have the hots for me, but I'll have to put out that fire with my GOLDFIRE BLAZE!!!”

MagiTech Gold's sword erupted into a brilliant golden flame that roared as it flared towards the three Fae-djinn. Despite their immortality and power, they knew that such flame would hurt, and they scattered as the flame split to follow them.

“Okay... that's pretty damn handy.” Hope had returned to Wendy's heart, and she turned to face down Silver Knight. “Now that I don't have to worry about interference, let's have another try at grabbing that bottle, shall we?”

“You forget, MagiTech Black. If you lose again, the wish goes off unimpeded, and then you'll be assisting me in dealing with your new friend!” he declared. “Now... let's see how badly you disappoint them~”

Wendy rushed forward, ready to teach Silver Knight a lesson, but as she approached, a blip showed on her HUD.

“Tch, took you long enough...”

“Huh? Who ar-”

Erupting from the ground in a whirling spin, with her claw gauntlets in front of her to help drill out, was Tina, who then spun forward and did a sliding kick to spike the bottle through Silver Knight's legs. Before he could react, the bottle was in Wendy's hand.

“....NO, DAMN YO-”

The duel was over, and Wendy had won. As agreed upon during the terms, Ifreeza snapped her fingers with a disappointed frown, and all the Drow Fighters returned to being human.

“Poopie, you guys are no fun...”

Silver Knight let out a furious roar, lunging for Wendy only for the Black Ranger to leap away.

“Alright, time to play keep-away!”

“Wendy, get that bottle to Gold!” Tina ordered.

“Huh? Why?”

“She can remove Silver Knight's sigil with Goldfire! Remember Mother Naturia? The Goldfire she uses is attuned to counteract the FIF's enchantments!”

“In other words, I should take her down first!” Silver Knight roared, spreading his wings to go after the newest Ranger. But that moment of diverting his attention would cost him.

“DRILL SPIN CLAW!!”

Tina used her weapon's special attack to ram into his back, slashing and tearing away at the armor and his wings. He howled with pain before managing to shift his position and spin Tina away with a powerful flick of his tail.

“Ow...damn, guess I should watch that tail next time...”

“MAGITECH RED! HOW DARE YOU MAKE A FOOL OF ME A SECOND TIME!!?”

“You say that like it's hard to do.” Tina quipped.

With a mighty roar, Silver Knight attacked, drawing his halberd and slashing downward at Tina with one fluid motion. Tina managed to spot the arc of the swing in time and dodged to the side, pushing off her opposite foot to deliver more strikes to Silver Knight's arm and midsection. While Silver Knight was swift in his recovery and strikes, Tina had the advantage of mobility, and she launched multiple jabs and backhands that were enhanced by her claw gauntlets. These strikes began to add up, as the MagiTech-enhanced iron-laced claws sapped more of the dragon-fae's endurance.

In the meantime, there was a three-way game of cat and mouse being played between Wendy, MagiTech Gold, and the fae-djinn: Wendy evaded the fae-djinn in her efforts to get Ifreeza's bottle to Gold, Gold did what she could to keep the fae-djinn on their toes, and the fae-djinn did what they could to avoid the Fae magic-disrupting Goldfire attacks while trying to get to Wendy and keep her away from Gold.

“Not cool, totes not cool!” Ifreeza pouted loudly as she jiggled and swayed, constantly moving with the other fae-djinn to try and catch Wendy off guard.

“Shouldn't you be turning Blue and Yellow back to normal?!” Wendy growled, narrowly missing a magical blast from Etana as she came close to giving Gold a good angle to burn Silver Knight's sigil off the bottle. The game would continue, much to everyone's displeasure, until Wendy decided to make a Hail Mary play.

“Gold, up high!”

She used her powers to jump high off the top of a nearby rooftop and used her momentum to release the bottle parallel to Gold after a moment of delay. The fae-djinn followed Wendy, but they committed a bit too well to pursuing her and found that the bottle was wide open.

“Nice one! GOLDFIRE SHOT!” MagiTech Gold held her flaming broadsword out perpendicular to her, with the flat of the blade aimed at the bottle. Multiple bursts of golden flame shot out, and two of the shots make immediate impact on Silver Knight's sigil, burning away the icy magic enough to make it vaporize.

The fae-djinn froze in place as Silver Knight's hold over Ifreeza evaporated, and Etana and Trishinni faded back into MagiTech Yellow and Blue, who landed on their backs on the ground. The bottle itself clinked harmlessly as it impacted the ground, bouncing a little bit before landing under a bench. Ifreeza herself seemed to twitch and shake, and let out a heavy sigh that forced out the fae magic that had tainted her, her curves and appearance returning to that of Katherine the efreeta. Her eyes fluttered as they returned to their normal color, and a slight shiver passed through her form.

“Oh...goodness, I...did some truly terrible things.” she said, still servile to a fault. “But now that insidious enchantment is gone, and I am free to aid you Rangers again! Please, grab my bottle before the wintry one seizes it again!”

Her words drew Silver Knight's attention, but Tina continued to pressure him and prevent him from making a move, which was more than enough to afford Wendy a chance to get the bottle. 

“Okay, so, all I've got to do is wish for Silver Knight to be permanently defeated, and-”

“No!” Chetana surprised her teammate with her outburst, and quickly added, “If you make a wish that requires enough power, Katherine will be stuck as an efreeta! Wish for her to return to normal! Say 'I wish for your time as an efreeta to be at an end, and to return to how you were before becoming an efreeta!'”

Katherine blinked a bit in incredulity. “...truly, do you wish to set me free from my service? I will not be able to aid you as I currently am. Please, reconsider. My powers would be a great boon to you in your endeavors.”

“And she'd be stuck as an efreeta!” Chetana added. “If she stays that way, she's still vulnerable to the same trick!”

Wendy let out a huff. “You heard her. And besides, I want my teammate. I wish for your time as an efreeta to be at an end, and to return to how you were before becoming an efreeta.”

Katherine looked at Wendy solemnly, but gave a nod, and snapped her fingers. With a powerful crack that reverberated through the air, the immense power that Katherine wielded bled away, turning into a powdery smoke that was sucked back up into the bottle. Katherine herself returned to her normal shape and appearance as her clothes returned to normal attire.

“Uuuhhh...” She dropped softly to the ground, where Wendy grabbed her.

“Heh, looks like my work here is done. Guess they're not as useless as I first thought.” Gold chuckled, before putting out the flame of her sword and leaping away.

Wendy wasn't about to let their mystery teammate get away so easily, though. “Hey, you! Get back here! I've got questions!” But Chetana had come to her side and grabbed her by the arm.

“Not now. We've still got Silver Knight to deal with.”

“...damn, fine.”

The fight between Silver Knight and Tina had escalated, and the additional combat training that Tina had gotten since she first joined proved invaluable. Training with Wendy and Patricia had shown her how to use her suit's powers effectively, and those enhancements were putting her on almost equal footing with Silver Knight.

“No, NO! DAMN IT ALL!” The dragon-fae roared again as the plan was completely undone. “The Prince wanted a Fae-djinn, we could have had the means to completely rewrite reality to our whims! Damn that Gold Ranger, and damn you for interfering with me, Red Ranger!”

Tina took it in stride, exploiting her opponent's frustration to keep him off balance as she readied a final strike.

“No one like a guy who whines when he doesn't get his way.” she quipped, and with a smirk, she channeled conceptual power into her claws for a new attack.

“X-CLAW STRIKE!!”

Tina crossed her arms, forearms towards Silver Knight, and charged the energy into an x-shaped energy attack that hammered into Silver Knight. Sparks of conceptual power and energy shot off of him as he staggered backward and fell to a knee. But Tina wasn't done.

“And again! X-CLAW STRIKE!!”

She followed with the same attack, which Silver Knight was barely able to deflect with his halberd, leaving him wide open for repeated strikes across his helmet. Tina followed it up with a backward flip-kick, pushing away from him to avoid a retaliatory strike.

“Haaaah... enough, Red Ranger. I yield, this time.” he groaned. “You have earned my respect, begrudgingly. But you have also earned my ire. Watch your back, MagiTech Red, because I always repay humiliation.”

Silver Knight kicked away, slipping into a portal that closed behind him as quickly as it opened.

“Damn, he got away...” Tina sighed, feeling a little unnerved by the fact that she would now have to be wary of an attack from Silver Knight... but that feeling quickly passed when Wendy slapped her along her shoulder with a chuckle.

“Holy crap, Red, you were pretty damn amazing there!”

“I'll say!” Patricia joined in. “I didn't need to jump in at all, you had the whole thing under control.”

“Ladies...while Red definitely deserves praise for her contribution, we need to get back to base.” Chetana was helping a barely-there Katherine to her feet, and though she didn't like having to be a buzzkill for the group after a hard-won victory, she had to cut things short. “Dr. Bohra, come in. This is MagiTech Blue.”

“Hey, what the hell did Bohra do to cut me off?!” Wendy yelled, recalling what had happened moments ago. “Answer me! Blue, I want an explanation!”

Chetana nodded a bit, then turned to Wendy. “Black, I have to advise you that you need to rein in your anger. Dr. Bohra has said that, while your performance was admirable after Yellow and I had been compromised, you're going to undergo disciplinary action before you're allowed to return to operations.”

“Are...you freaking serious...?” Wendy cocked her head. From her tone, it sounded like she was about to go off, so Tina stepped in between her and Chetana.

“Black. We all had a rough day today. I get that you're pissed, and I get that you want to let Dr. Bohra know it. She already does, though.” With a brief look over her shoulder at Chetana and Katherine, she continued. “You did really well, but there were mistakes made that need to be addressed. Plus, you and I need to get debriefed on this new Ranger. If you want to be pissed, then save that for the Fae. Venting on Dr. Bohra isn't going to do anything other than have Project Command bench you for as long as they'd like, and we need you on the team.”

Wendy clenched her fists, and the hiss of frustration was loud and unmistakable. But Tina's words hit a chord, and the tension in Wendy's body was sagged off.

“Fine. I'll play ball. As long as it means I won't get paddled too hard.”

Tina nodded, and Chetana radioed back to Dr. Bohra to prepare for quarantining a lot of civilians...

Back at the Fae Invasion Forces' base, Silver Knight slumped in, showing clear signs of fatigue and injury. There was a shocked reaction among all the Fae Soldiers present, and panic followed as Faareha slithered quickly up to Silver Knight and slammed him against a wall with her tail.

“WHAT WASSSS THAT? YOU GRANDSSSSTANDING FOOL, YOU COSSSST US THE EFREETA!!”

The draconic fae let out a rough, guttural sigh as Faareha pinned her strength to him and pressed him against the wall. He was in considerable pain, but the wounds were mending by being in the Fae's realm.

“Hold, Madam Faareha. He acted on orders I gave him.” Prince Tethas called out. “I do value your contribution to the plan. But we needed to ensure that the being born of those efforts would follow our goals willingly. I did not tell you about enslaving the efreeta and turning her into a fae-djinn because I deemed that there could be some conflict. You are devoted to our cause, but despite it being one of the Rangers being turned, I believed there was a small possibility that you might grow attached to the efreeta created. You aren't Fae, so another being hailing from your homeland might make you unnecessarily possessive.”

Faareha hissed her displeasure.

“Do you think sssso little of me from my early failuressss?”

“Not at all, Madam.” Tethas shook his head. “But I am not one to gamble on how messy attachments and sentimentality can be. Not to mention that she would have been far more effective if we all could use her power, as you saw. Granted, I do agree with you about Silver Knight's grandstanding.”

He gave a pointed stare, making it clear he was displeased with the dragon-knight. “Wishing Madam Faareha into a forced return here was unwise. Were she still there, she would have proved a valuable ally in dealing with our newest thorn in our sides.”

“Hehehe~ You assume that I didn't intend on drawing out MagiTech Gold.” Silver Knight chuckled. “I wanted her to appear so said 'thorn in our side' could be wished into obedience. Sadly, she had the advantage with her unique flames and choosing when to appear, and I will own my failure in letting her aid MagiTech Black in stealing control away from me.”

“It's not just that, Silver Knight. You let MagiTech Red best you decisively.”

It was at that point that Silver Knight pushed back against Faareha, surprising her with the strength he still had in reserve as he forced his way out of her pin. He grabbed her by the neck, and his chilly grip made Faareha recoil and pull away, giving him room to breathe.

“...yes. That is a humiliation I will not soon forget, my Prince. I will pay her back in kind.”

“That won't be for a while, Silver Knight. You're benched again.” Tethas said definitively. “And until you've recovered AND I deem you've been punished sufficiently, you are not going into the field. Do I make myself clear?”

Silver Knight looked Tethas in the eyes, staring him down and giving Tethas the impression that the dragon-fae might just be thinking unpleasant thoughts involving him.

“...Yes, my Prince. By your leave. I must recover.”

“You are dismissed, then.”

With a grunt, Silver Knight slumped his halberd onto his back and trudged off deeper into the complex. And passing him as she entered the throne room appeared Kyoko.

“Hmmmm... such a shame. It was a fine plan.” she mused. “Perhaps too ambitious, given current circumstances.”

“You need to keep your pet in order, foxxxsssssss...” Faareha grew irritated to see Kyoko again, but the fae kitsune took it in stride.

“I do have a new plan for you, my Prince. One which I think you'll take interest in.” Kyoko said, ignoring Faareha's comment. “Considering our dear MagiTech Red's display, I think the project I have in store will be quite enlightening.”

“Will it succeed?” he asked, turning his blue eyes to her own.

“There is a high success rate, even with MagiTech Gold as a factor. If we can outmaneuver her, it's a guaranteed win. Besides that, there are also other benefits we can glean from the Rangers' own powers and equipment during the time the plan is in action.”

A look of curiosity crossed Tethas's face as Kyoko let slip those details. “...tell me more.”

“Fufufufufufu~ If you insist...~”

End of Chapter 14


	18. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoko and Prince Tethas create a means of turning the Rangers' powers against them, AND getting new pawns in the process! What will happen to our heroes? Part 1 of the Faetex mini-arc!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! 

Chapter 15: Erotic Subversion! Rise of the MagiLatex Rangers Arc, Part 1 

Two weeks had passed since the events of what came to be called “The Ifreeza Incident”, and a formal inquiry from the DoD had been carried out to assess the states of Katherine, Chetana, and Patricia. Much like previous altercations where one or more of the Rangers found themselves victims of the Fae, the three were quarantined on base, with much of the medical wing staff examining them for any trace amounts of conceptual conversion and Fae influence. This time was far from routine, however, as the procurement of the efreeta bottle that had turned Katherine into a wholly separate being meant that additional testing on her and those she transformed was required. Though it meant delays in being able to deploy the entire team, Dr. Bohra had no choice but to acquiesce to the DoD's demands while dozens of civilians were tested discreetly. 

With Tina and Wendy on standby, Dr. Bohra turned her attention to other matters related to the previous mission. MagiTech Gold, as she had called herself, had intervened a second time when the Rangers were nearing a catastrophic failure. Her reveal was recorded on both Wendy's and Tina's helmet cams, offering a full physical profile and recordings of some of her abilities. Her helmet, however, had filtered and distorted her voice, eliminating that as a means of identification. Whomever had sent her was thorough enough to not allow the FIF an easy means of figuring out her identity. But Dr. Bohra knew who was behind this sixth Ranger, and she was about to have a talk with her face-to-face. 

Entering her office, Dr. Bohra softly closed the door behind her and turned to face a small group of people who had been awaiting her. One of them was the Defense Secretary, Harriet Bowman, whom Dr. Bohra would have preferred not be present in Project Command. Next to her stood two Secret Service guards on loan, both for her and the two women who had come with her. One was a tall young woman of college age with copper-blonde hair, done up in a french braid, and sporting green eyes. She wore a light gray business jacket over a black blouse with a matching skirt and pantyhose, ending in tasteful heels. 

The other woman was one around Dr. Bohra's age, showing slight wrinkles that were concealed behind her glasses, which framed brown-green eyes. Her sandy blonde hair was cut short, framing her face as it curved down to the nape of her neck, and she wore a dark blue pantsuit with a white blouse underneath. Glancing between her and the younger woman seemed to indicate some filial relationship. 

“Secretary Bowman.” Dr. Bohra nodded to Harriet in a polite greeting, before turning her attention to the other older woman in the room. “Beatrice Evans. I was wondering when you might finally turn up here. I take it that this young woman is a relation of yours?” 

Beatrice gave a light 'humph' before answering. “You can drop the pleasantries, Bohra. I know you would prefer I never step foot in your sanctuary. This meeting is taking place because the time calls for it.” 

The young woman stepped forward a bit, extending a hand in greeting. When it was obvious that Dr. Bohra wasn't immediately going for it, the young woman frowned a little but introduced herself anyway. 

“My name is Martha Evans. Beatrice is my mother, and it's due to her dealings with you and the Department of Defense that I've been assigned to here.” 

Dr. Bohra shot an analytical look at Martha, almost as if she was trying to determine what she was thinking, before turning her attention to Secretary Bowman. “Additional personnel? I thought you said further support for Command and the team was under consideration during our last communication?” 

“We fast-tracked it in no small part due to Mrs. Evans' progress with her end of the MTR Project, and with what we're finding in the investigation behind the previous mission.” 

Bohra narrowed her eyes. She was curious as to whether Bowman had details that could give a more complete context to what happened with Katherine. “...go on.” 

Bowman gestured to the Secret Service agents to exit the room and stand guard outside before she went into further detail. 

“Considering what has been gleaned from interviews with the affected member of your strike force, as well as other Project personnel and Intelligence agents, the DoD has surmised that Katherine Robertson was tracked to her residence and targeted as a means of turning her into an enemy asset. Two CIA agents stationed to keep watch over her residence are believed to have been attacked, though they have no memory of such an attack taking place.” 

The stern, analytical look returned to Dr. Bohra's face as she picked up on the implications. Bowman continued. “With the equipment created in concert with Project Command and Lockheed, we were able to detect trace energy signatures belonging to a non-human entity. The readings indicated that they weren't Fae, which concerned some within the DoD that we had more than one invading force in Cold Iron. But the mission that followed allowed us to gain the necessary context for who this entity was.” 

“If you recall, Madam Secretary.” Bohra interjected. “The profiles I had on the FIF's major figures detailed that this 'Faareha' had a low chance of being a Fae, despite being an ally of the FIF. What readings we could get on her from our first encounter when compared with the likes of Silver Knight showed us that her origin was from elsewhere.” 

“Yes, you did.” Bowman sighed. “I'll admit that I didn't take that at face value. I thought, due to the highly experimental nature of MagiTech, that there had to be a sizable margin of error that should be accommodated for.” 

“In other words, you only thought that because the technology was geared towards dealing with the Fae, like Dr. Bohra stated was its original function, that it being effective on Faareha ruled out the possibility of that entity being anything but Fae.” Beatrice mused. 

Bowman looked a little taken aback, and her words caught in her throat, which was all the confirmation that Beatrice needed. 

“You underestimate this technology, Madam Secretary.” Beatrice had an imperious look on her face as she addressed Bowman. “While it is designed to be effective against the Fae, it's true applications are far greater than that.” 

Dr. Bohra looked to Beatrice, wondering just what she was going to reveal as the conversation continued. 

“MagiTech interacts and integrates with intent, willpower, and imagination on a level that could be called actual magic. Enhancing abilities and creating a new energy resource is just the beginning of what it is capable of. The tests we've had at Lockheed have shown that it is capable of elaborate modification of pre-existing materials, giving them new form and function. We believe we may have found ways of utilizing MagiTech to create simple resources and materials from seemingly nothing, and we're investigating the potential for resource-free replication right now.” 

Bowman's eyes were wide at the implications of such technology, and she turned her attention to Dr. Bohra with a look of incredulity. 

“Is all this true? Is this possible?” 

Bohra stared daggers at Beatrice, then directed her gaze back to Bowman. “With my understanding of MagiTech, I can promise that the creation of resources and materials is not 'for free'. There is always a cost when you operate with the mindset of our current understanding of physics and science. That said, MagiTech does allow one to exercise one's will in such a way as to displace the laws of science, which includes emulation of effects that could be considered by some to be magic. If you were to ask for my expertise, I would say that, while Mrs. Evans' efforts have been greatly beneficial for our goals, her pontifications are highly optimistic at best, and greatly exaggerated otherwise.” 

Beatrice shot a glare at Bohra, with Martha grabbing her mother's wrist to keep her in check. It became clear to Secretary Bowman that there was a conflict between the two experts' findings, and that required further experimentation and findings from both. 

“...very well. Both of you have been vital in the development of new equipment for Project MTR. Therefore, I expect you two to work together. Effective in the next few days, I will have Lockheed, under Mrs. Evans' direction, provide support to Project Command in the fight against the FIF. Mrs. Evans, you will provide additional personnel and finished equipment to Project Command so that they can field test it and utilize its practical applications. Dr. Bohra, you will provide accurate and to-the-point combat data, including readings for whenever one of your strike team is compromised, to Mrs. Evans' team so they can assist in developing countermeasures.” 

Before either could interrupt, Bowman added, “I say this with the full authority of the U.S. Government backing me. Failure to perform will result in Project Command and Lockheed's MagiTech labs to be shut down, and any and all data, resources, and equipment to be confiscated by the government. Furthermore, you will be sworn to secrecy regarding everything you have participated in, seen, or heard, under threat of federal prosecution and incarceration.” 

Both Dr. Bohra and Mrs. Evans were in a position where they could not refuse. After a few looks of discomfort, both agreed. 

“Then this meeting is adjourned. Mrs. Evans, you have a private escort awaiting you when you're ready to go.” 

Secretary Bowman left the room, taking most of the Secret Service agents with her as she vacated the premises. 

“Unbelievable. Why did you downplay my accomplishments, Bohra? We're on the same side!” Beatrice hissed. 

“I have my reasons, Beatrice. None of them are personal.” 

“So you have a professional issue with me then?” Beatrice moved to block Bohra from leaving the room. “It's not wise to antagonize help.” 

Dr. Bohra looked sternly at Beatrice, her gaze drilling into her soul. “I hold no antagonism towards you, Beatrice. If anything, you have my appreciation for allowing me to carry out the purpose of Project MTR with your assistance. It has been most helpful. Indeed, yours is a mind I can appreciate. But your imprudence is an entirely different matter.” 

Beatrice's bottom lip curled back a bit. “My imprudence? You're going to have to explain yourself, because that feels like an attack.” 

Bohra glances over at Martha, then back to Beatrice. “I meant no offense. My point is that there is a great deal to discover about MagiTech, and I feel it is better to discuss what it provably can do than to try and sell what it could do. Especially when the FIF seem to be getting more aggressive and cunning in hunting down my team.” 

“Ah yes, the MagiTech Rangers. I heard that that past two missions have required outside intervention.” Beatrice smirked. 

“Don't play coy, I know MagiTech Gold is one of yours.” 

The smirk lessened, but was still featured on Beatrice's face. “I don't doubt that. The question is, do you know who it could be? And what will you do to improve your team so they won't drag down MagiTech Gold?” 

Bohra blinked, and moved around Beatrice to her office door. 

“The first question is irrelevant. But I do have plans to address the issue you posed with that second question. Rest assured, MagiTech Gold's formal addition to the team will be one I welcome, and it will be a valued contribution to the success of Project MTR. As for the other Rangers... don't be surprised if each member rises to the occasion in their individual ways.” 

She opened the door, inviting Beatrice and Martha to exit, and closed the door behind them when they did. Crossing the floor of her office, she takes her seat behind her large desk and leans back into the plush chair, closing her eyes in contemplation. 

It was time to progress her plans. The means were there. It was merely up to the timing and when each of the Rangers were prepared to make that next step in the evolution of their power. 

Inside the FIF fortress, a door opened into a dark room, revealing the silhouettes of two figures as they strode inside. The walls, floors, and ceiling softly lit up into a snow white, illuminating the whole room with magical energy. Inside the room stood a number of inert, crystalline, feminine figures sporting featureless faces and lithe frames that belied a great deal of strength. As the magic began to flow into the room, they grew animated, standing at attention as Prince Tethas and Kyoko made their way towards a singular pedestal. 

“The automata were at rest before we arrived... it seems their work finished some time ago, Lady Kyoko.” Tethas commented. The Fae kitsune accompanying him smirked, appraising the construct drones as she turned her attention to the pedestal itself. It stood three and a half feet tall, and was roughly two feet in diameter, with a simple design. The round top of the pedestal faded with a single touch from Kyoko, revealing that its interior was designed as a chamber. Inside it resided a black, shiny, viscous liquid. 

“Is it ready?” 

“We're about to find out.” Kyoko mused, stepping back and looking to Tethas to do the same. Seconds after they stepped back several feet, the still liquid began to shudder and ripple. The pedestal's contents continued to grow agitated as some spilled over the side, before the surface began to bubble. Then, some of the bubbles grew into tendrils, turning into one larger tendril that flailed about a bit before slamming itself to the floor with great force. 

“Impressive...” Tethas remarked. “That amount could easily create a large dent in solid steel.” 

“Six inches of solid steel would buckle under a blow like that.” Kyoko replied. “That's not even a committed blow. If she were to put her full force behind a charging attack, she could easily penetrate a hume tank. This won't penetrate the Rangers' uniforms and helmets, but they'll definitely feel the impact if she hits them. But such crude tactics aren't her goal.” 

“'Her'?” Tethas looked a little puzzled. “Have you already formed an attachment with this construct, Lady Kyoko?” 

“In a sense. But that's not why I'm referring to her as such. I have an appreciation for the female form, and a preference for women to keep me company~” she smirked. “So why not make this special construct a woman? Especially since she's going to get quite intimate with the Rangers.” 

Three more tendrils joined the first one, this time carefully positioning themselves on the ground as the rest of the mass inside the chamber was pulled out. Slowly, the mass began to slim, narrowing into what looked like a torso as two of the tendrils slimmed a bit and shaped themselves into arms, hands, and fingers. The other two shaped themselves into legs and feet as the central mass sprouted a protuberance that rounded out and became what looked like a head. In under a minute, the liquid had made itself into a facsimile of a humanoid, and it was now refining its appearance further. 

Definition began to form along its calves, thighs, forearms, upper arms, and torso. Its waist slimmed while hips widened a bit, and an ample bust formed as the head of the construct began to define itself a jawline and shape for its 'skull'. A slender neck followed, before a curtain of the substance it was made out of draped down from the back of its head to form what looked like a mass of hair. 

The construct stood there, gently moving its head to give the impression of looking around to take in its surroundings. 

“Fufufufufu~ You don't have to play at what humes do, my dear~ I know you can see at every angle around you. Your sensory input isn't limited by silly things like ears and eyes~” 

Tethas continued to watch with interest, taking in the construct's form. 

“Lady Kyoko, I do find this construct's appearance intriguing, as well as the idea that you would choose to have this be its preferred form. But perhaps a demonstration of some of its other capabilities are in order?” 

“Hmmm... perhaps you're right. But not here.” She looked over the creation that she had brought to life, giving it a thoughtful look before turning to Tethas. “As I mentioned to you before, her primary purpose is to assimilate conceptual energies and magical power, integrating with materials and converting them into a similar substance to what she is comprised of. When these materials are fully converted, they are entirely under her control, serving as an extension of herself at that point.” 

Tethas nodded. “Indeed. Then we should deploy the construct in earnest.” 

“I've also picked an excellent name for her, one that she's taken to, fufufufu~” Kyoko grinned. “Darling, why don't you introduce yourself before we let you out to play~?” 

The construct took a few steps forward, hips swaying with a feminine allure. 

“Of course, Mistress Kyoko. I am Faetex. I look forward to serving the FIF, and especially you, Mistress Kyoko.” 

“Fufufufufu~ Such a good girl~ Let's have you meet your first target, Faetex. I'm looking forward to seeing how you handle her~” 

Tethas snapped his fingers, opening a portal behind the construct. “Cross through. There will be a group of Fae Soldiers waiting to accompany you. They have their orders, so it is up to you to capitalize on the chaos they will sow. Once the Rangers arrive, that is your time to strike.” 

Faetex bowed, then leaned backwards, extending herself as she slipped through the portal... 

As the day progressed to the early afternoon, Midtown Cold Iron would get an influx of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The lunchtime rush always had office workers and those running errands frequenting cafes or fast food restaurants, and today was no different for Tina. Having just left Project Command to get an update on those in quarantine, the leader of the Rangers waited in line at a sandwich shop, going over details with a wedding planner by text. 

“T.G.: I've still got a few relatives on my side who haven't decided how many they're going to bring. I'm really sorry Julie, I know you need an exact head count. I've just been really busy with work, so I've been unable to talk with them about it.” 

“J: You know, you could just contact them by email. It's obvious that you're too pressed for time to get a hold of them by a phone call.” 

“T.G.: I know, but that feels too impersonal.” 

“J: You're such a traditionalist lol” 

Tina grinned a bit at that, bringing her gaze up to get another assessment at how long it would take for her to get to order. 

“T.G.: This line is taking longer than I thought. May have to go somewhere else, so I'll get in touch with you later.” 

“J: Don't go hungry for too long!” 

“Yeah, well, traffic gets a say in that...” Tina muttered, looking outside briefly to take her mind off her growling stomach. Doing so proved more effective than she would have thought, as she saw several people running in the same direction, alongside others who were starting to put distance between themselves and whatever was in the direction opposite of where the runners were going. It was then that her morpher beeped, and she knew that she needed to mobilize. 

She left the sandwich shop, hugging the edge of the street as people began to pass her quickly by while she looked for a safe place to duck into to morph. The morpher beeped more insistently, causing Tina to growl a bit as she finally ducked into a nearby alleyway. 

“Yes, Dr. Bohra?” The holographic image of the doctor appeared, looking as stern and stoic as ever. 

“Miss Gutierrez, there's a small group of Fae Soldiers harassing civilians near your location. From what we can tell, they have one or two captive. We believe that the FIF may be making an aggressive play here, perhaps to abduct civilians to turn into Fae-kin at another location.” 

“What's the status on the others? Have they cleared quarantine yet?” 

“Not yet, though I've been in touch with my daughter and she believes that it won't take much more than an hour now.” Bohra responded. “Considering the number of Fae Soldiers, however, I do not believe that mobilizing the entire team is necessary. If you're quick about it, you should be able to take care of them without any civilians being abducted, but I intend on mobilizing Miss Urashima to assist you.” 

“Not taking chances. Understood, Dr. Bohra. I'll be there in a moment.” 

Bohra gave a nod, then added, “Miss Urashima is some ways away, so if you do find yourself in an altercation, try not to get caught off-guard. It will take her several minutes to get to you.” The transmission ended there, and Tina checked to make sure she had enough cover from the main street to morph. 

“Conceptualize! MagiTech Red!” 

The sudden manifestation of powerful conceptual energy, triggered by the morpher to become a Ranger, drew the attention of something that hid along the corners and edges of the rooftops. The balled-up mass quivered in anticipation as the sunlight created a dull, rubbery shine on its surface. It twisted and contorted as it used its mass to fling itself along the rooftops, sensing the approaching conceptual energy signature. Soon enough, a figure in red was making giant leaps towards the group of Fae Soldiers that were further down, and the slime-like mass moved parallel to MagiTech Red's movements... 

Tina would come upon the scene, spotting several Fae Soldiers near an intersection lined with various shops. Two of the soldiers had two civilians in hand, restraining them as the others tried to chase after other innocents. Some chased people down the street, while others smashed shop windows to try and grab people hiding inside. Their attention would be drawn to Tina as she landed and ran to engage them, pulling out her blaster and opening fire on the ones in the street, hitting them and causing them to fall down due to the disruption of their own energies. 

“You two, let those people go!” she pointed at the hostage-takers, causing them to duck a bit behind their captives. 

“Yeah right, not happening Ranger! We're not giving you an open shot!” one of the Fae Soldiers called out, and dismissively waved Tina away. “Where's your friends at anyway? You get ditched?!” 

A shot hit dangerously close to the offending soldier's foot, making the armored figure jump back with a yelp. 

“Second and final warning.” she warned. The blasters fired energy that wasn't harmful to humans, and would at worst knock them out. But firing on civilians to get at an enemy, even if pragmatic, didn't sit well with her as a peace-keeper. Besides, the Ranger powers afforded her a greater deal of mobility and accuracy that would allow her to hit her targets... 

That was until something black, sticky, and rubber-like wrapped around Tina's blaster and yanked it from her grip. The momentum of the force pulling the blaster pulled her along with it a bit, almost lifting her off her feet as she steadied herself. She turned to see a shapely, busty woman that looked like she was made out of shiny rubber, lacking a face but sporting a stretched out arm that tossed the blaster aside. 

“Looks like a new Fae-kin, and a rather agile one.” she remarked. “Dr. Bohra, are you seeing this?” 

The pause would cost Tina dearly, as the creature suddenly pulled itself into a single mass and burst forward, slamming into the Ranger. The impact sent her flying, and the strange creature seemed to turn into a semi-solid mass that coiled around her, limiting her movement as she flew into a street lamp. 

“Aauugh! N-no, dammit, get off me!” 

Her own enhanced strength allowed her to pull away a bit as she landed, using the bent street lamp as leverage, but the bizarre slime-creature was just as strong as she was while sporting greater grip strength. The Fae Soldiers watched in a bit of disbelief as Tina was dragged and grappled, pulled into a nearby women's fashion store. The two captured civilians, sensing the soldiers' grip was weak, made a desperate attempt to tug and shove away from them, successfully freeing themselves and booking it down the street. 

“Ah, damn...!” One of the soldiers stomped their foot. 

“Relax. They would've been bonus prizes anyway. Grab the others, we've got a show to enjoy...” 

Inside the women's fashion store, Tina struggled and did what she could to free herself from the grip of her aggressor. The creature would grab clothing racks and loose heavy items to pull in and pummel Tina with, focusing on her head. While it did no damage, the force of the impact did push her around a little, offering the slime-creature multiple opportunities to send a sticky mass of itself into the wall to anchor itself. 

“L-let...me go...” 

“mmmmhhhnn... no.” the creature purred, shocking Tina and allowing it to fire off more tendrils to anchor itself, limiting Tina's mobility further into the center of the store. “Mistress was right, your conceptual energy is potent. Exquisite. Sooooo tasty~ I can't wait to...mmmhhh~” 

A look of fear took hold of Tina's features inside her helmet. “D-Dr. Bohra! Please, come in! I need support! Get We...get Black in here fast!” 

“Oh, are you trying to communicate with the outside? Don't bother.” the slime-creature said. “As soon as I had a good enough grip on you, I augmented my own conceptual power to block any signals that you might receive or transmit. No one knows we're in here. Well... except the soldiers and those civilians they had, but that's the least of your worries now.” 

More tendrils anchored to the walls, and the central mass that held Tina was now tight around her arms and legs. From the mass, the slime-creature formed its head to face eye-to-eye with Tina. 

“Wh-what are you?” Tina shuddered, feeling some of the creature's body slide over her hips and bust, tightening and alternating its grip as if to grope her. 

“I am Faetex, a Fae construct. I suppose you could call me... a slime-girl? I was created by Mistress Kyoko specifically to deal with you Rangers. And I've been looking forward to this moment~” 

“Kyoko made you?! A construct...?! Wh-” 

A quick tensing of Faetex's body was all the warning that Tina would receive as all the tendrils that were anchored around the store, holding her in place, suddenly sucked inward. In an instant, Tina's entire body was covered by Faetex, and the sheer strength of the slime-girl held her in place. 

“I cover every square inch of your body now, MagiTech Red, and I am applying incredible force in such precise spots that you are unable to move of your own free will.” 

“What...is the purpose of that?” Tina grunted. 

“To make it easy enough for the next step.” 

All at once, Tina's HUD in her helmet began to fire off alerts, warning her of increasing breaches and vulnerabilities in her suit. The conceptual energy that powered Tina's suit was being drawn out of it and into Faetex, who then assimilated that energy into herself, warping it and feeding it back into the suit along with her own. This steady feed of tainted energy allowed Faetex to gradually take over the suit... 

A minute of terror passed before Tina's body began to move. But it was not of her own accord. 

“W-wait, what is this?!” She tried to struggle, but it felt like the suit was now moving her body, rather than the other way around. The Fae Soldiers from outside began to peek in, watching Tina's Faetex-blanketed body move with steadiness towards a nearby mirror. 

“Oh, just a bit of fun~” 

Warnings in Tina's HUD began to fade, before spinning a bit and blurring together, spiraling towards a single point in the middle of Tina's visor. At the same time, tainted conceptual energy began to feed from the suit directly into Tina, using the spiral as a vector. 

“What are you doing? Are you...trying to hypnotize me?” Tina laughed in disbelief, but then fear gripped her heart. Faetex was starting to use her own suit against her, and she couldn't move or turn away from the compromised screen. She shut her eyes, but Faetex quickly countered that by using Tina's own hands to grope her breasts and caress her curves. 

“Naughty, naughty. I can't have you closing your eyes, sexy. And you are sexy, aren't you? Mmmh, these curves... you've got a dynamite body, you know?” 

“aaauuh...s-stop...” Tina gasped, opening her eyes in surprise to get another face full of that insidious spiral, and herself posed in the body length mirror in a lewd manner. Her eyes were drawn into the spiral, feeling her own suit's power ensnare her mind. Despite the struggle, she managed to close her eyes again. 

“Hehehehe~ Strong-willed, too. Mmh, I'm glad I got to you first. I think you're going to be a favorite of mine. Now that I'm almost fully integrated with your suit, I can feel every inch of your skin. So smooth... it's like it's my skin almost. I must feel like a second skin to you now...” 

Tina's suit seemed to ripple now, caressing her curves directly, softly pulling at her hair while her own hands and fingers pinched her nipples through her suit with dexterous, lewd fingers. And then... she felt the suit prod at her womanhood, drawing a shocked gasp from her that made her eyes pop open. The spiral awaited her, holding her gaze now as Faetex was her suit. 

“Yesssss, just like that. I hope you don't mind, but I plan on emulating your body's shape after I'm done with you. I know you're flattered~ Or at least you will be soon enough. Just keep staring at that pretty spiral, and let my power leak into you~” 

Rhythmic pulses of pleasure at her breasts and sex eased Tina into compliance, while Faetex modeled for the both of them to show off how sexy Tina looked encased in the construct. When the Ranger's will was weakened enough through erotic torment and Fae-tainted conceptual power, Faetex readied the last phase of her ministrations. The HUD had a new prompt pop up, and each pulse of pleasure and whisper from Faetex compelled the increasingly mindless Ranger to answer it. 

“Speak your full name to register user.” 

“hhmmnn....T...Tina...Gutierrez...~” 

“Look at you... Tina, you look lovely, clad in latex. Your body shines with every inch of me on you. Curves highlighted by dull shine, contrasted with a deep blackness. Latex is alluring, isn't it?” 

“Yesss...” she moaned in a blissful trance. 

“Your body looks soooo good. You look soooo good, clad in me. Me wearing you. And when I wear you, you feel such exquisite pleasure, like this...” 

A throb at Tina's sex is felt, sending pleasure through her head and making her coo. 

“You can feel that all the time, you know. Just...Obey~” 

Tina's HUD, still sporting the spiral that pulled her deeper into trance, now had letters form. 

“Obey. Obedience is bliss. Obedience is pleasure. When you Obey, you are rewarded with pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness. Pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness is the natural state of all who Obey. Pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness compel you to Obey. What you feel now, what you experience, is pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness. Thus, it is only natural that you Obey. Obey~” 

A soft, throaty moan slipped past Tina's lips as the conditioning pulled her further along. 

“Mmmhhh, almost done, Tina. What do you feel right now?” 

Another coo was heard, and Tina breathily said, “I...feel...pleasure. Bliss. Mindlessness.” 

“And what does that mean, Tina?” 

Her breath catches in her throat, and after a pregnant pause she answers. 

“I Obey~” 

“Good Girl~” Faetex purred. “And since I have given you this gift that comes with my latex, the gifts of pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness, what does that mean?” 

A soft shudder passes through Tina's body, and her eyes lid shut. Yet the spiral remains in her mind. 

“I Obey you~” 

“Good Girl~ Let's fix you up now~ At attention!” 

Tina's body stiffened up straight with the command. With Tina's will thoroughly subverted, Faetex used her influence on Tina's body and mind to twist and warp the Ranger. The slime-girl increased the sensitivity of her body, allowing the enchanted latex that now made up her suit to keep her constantly aroused. Faetex also enhanced Tina's body to her tastes, enlarging her breasts by four cup sizes and exaggerating her hips, thighs, and rear while narrowing her waist a bit to give her an exaggerated, erotic hourglass shape. 

From there, Faetex pulled away from Tina's body to reveal the drastic changes to her suit that had been made: red plating that conformed to the new curves of Tina's body covered her outer thighs, shoulders, and formed tight calve-high boots and gauntlets. The rest of her body was covered in dully shining inky black latex, with some cybernetic-looking glowing red lines that framed Tina's cleavage and trailed down her tummy to emphasize her camel-toe, as well as dully glowing red dots at her nipples. 

“And now... for the yummy part~ Just a few tweaks and...” 

Faetex pulled away from Tina's head, revealing that the Ranger helmet was gone. In its place was a full face mask, smooth and mirrored, concealing Tina's face entirely from her hairline atop her head, looping around to cover her ears, and fitting just behind her jaw as it integrated seamlessly with the latex suit. Her hair was her only identifying feature, let free to drape alluringly and frame the mirrored face mask. 

On the inside of the face mask, Tina's vision was filled with her altered HUD, swapping from a mind-numbing spiral, to a heart shape comprised of two wintry fox tails that framed a snowflake, to basic commands and parameters for her to follow. Her lips were stained with a shiny black, constantly pulsing with corruptive pleasure to emulate being kissed on the lips. 

Faetex leaned in, shifting her curves and structure to emulate the body shape Tina had before the construct had her way with her, and stared at her reflection in the face mask. Suddenly, five pink dots appeared, blinking to indicate a loading sequence, before the words “Programming Accepted” appeared, followed by “MagiLatex Red Active”. The words then disappeared, and a digital graphic of pink, feminine lips appeared around where Tina's lips would be. 

“State your directives.” Faetex ordered. 

“This slave, MagiLatex Red, follows the commands of its Mistress, Faetex.” The lips moved in emulation of Tina's words, and Tina's voice had a slight digital distortion to it as she spoke. “This slave Obeys completely. This slave exists to serve the Fae Invasion Forces, Obeying all orders from Mistress Faetex, which are only superseded by Prince Tethas and Lady Kyoko, with Lady Kyoko's word as highest authority. This slave, MagiLatex Red, will carry out priority one objectives first, with secondary objectives following after completed priority one objectives, or when deemed necessary through opportunity or command. Priority one objectives: assist Mistress Faetex in converting remaining MagiTech Rangers into MagiLatex Rangers. Secondary objectives: capture and subvert the wills of humes to gather conceptual power for the Fae Invasion Forces. Assist in utilizing conceptual power to initiate conceptual conversion of Cold Iron City.” 

“Excellent~” Faetex slid about Tina, caressing her rear as she looked at the Fae Soldiers who watched on in awe. “Activate personality matrix.” 

The cybernetic glowing lines on Tina's latex-clad body glowed with greater intensity for a brief moment, before MagiLatex Red giggled girlishly. 

“Mmmmhhh~ Mistress~” MagiLatex Red arched her back a bit as she gazed at Faetex. “You were wonderful~ You know how to touch a woman in all the right places...~” 

“You're an excellent lover, Red~” Faetex cooed. “Once the other Rangers are mine, we'll have some fun. Speaking of which... are you picking up any signals of approaching Rangers?” 

The dots reappeared on MagiLatex Red's mirrored face mask, then quickly vanished. 

“Oh, yes! There's one quickly approaching, Mistress! How time flies...” 

“Then it's time to greet her. Red, you go out first. I'm certain you have plenty of new abilities you'd like to share with her~” 

“Mmmmhh~ I can't wait~” 

The digital lips disappeared off her face mask briefly, replaced by a digital heart that made up most of the mirrored screen, with the words “I Obey” inside it. It quickly flipped back to the digital lips as MagiLatex Red strutted out of the shop and into the open street, ready to face one of her former teammates... 

End of Chapter 15


	19. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Tina converted into MagiLatex Red by the sexy slime girl Faetex, Wendy heads to where the hostages were, not knowing the danger awaiting her! Will Wendy hold her ground against her brainwashed teammate and save her from her erotic state, or will Wendy be the next victim in Faetex's plans? Find out in this chapter of MagiTechRanger!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! 

Chapter 16: Erotic Subversion! Rise of the MagiLatex Rangers Arc, Part 2 

Several minutes before Tina was taken by Faetex... 

“Geez... bunch of punks.” Wendy griped over her helmet's communicator after having heard the situation from Dr. Bohra. “So it's just Red and me, then? Shouldn't be too much of an issue if it's just the grunts, but I get why you want us both there. Any word on when the others are out of quarantine? Or if you've picked up activity on MagiTech Gold?” 

“Project Command has not found any readings that match MagiTech Gold's since the fight with Silver Knight and Ifreeza. As for the quarantine, the other Rangers shouldn't take longer than an hour. The last I heard regarding the issue was when my daughter informed me that the DoD personnel who are overseeing our actions would not let Miss Robertson leave. Not until these last lab tests indicate that the influence from the efreeti bottle is gone.” 

“Tch, damn...” Wendy growled. “Speaking of that, where is that bottle?” 

“Safely stored away in a maximum security area in Project Command.” Bohra replied. “That is all you need to know about that. Remember, your disciplinary action may have ended a few days ago, but that does not mean you aren't under greater scrutiny than before. I'd advise you to keep a cool head, and avoid prying into Project's affairs.” 

“Alright...” Wendy's annoyed sigh was heard on the other line, followed by a vent of air from her nose as she straightened up. “ETA is... ugh, seven minutes. Black out.” 

The footage of Wendy's traversal of Cold Iron remained on the giant screen as Bohra turned the smaller display on a nearby console to look in on where Chetana and the other two Rangers were in the medical wing. Chetana would appear, standing alongside Patricia while Katherine sat in a rolling chair. Opposite the three, on the other side of a locked see-through door, stood two DoD personnel and Beatrice Evan's daughter, Martha. She knew that Martha had been allowed in as part of the new wave of personnel for Project Command's needs, but there was no reason for her to be next to two DoD agents as they observed and waited for the final results of her tests. Dr. Bohra linked the console to the speakers inside the examination room before speaking up. 

“Daughter, how is the progress of Miss Robertson's testing?” 

Everyone looked up, and Chetana quickly looked over to the camera. “There's a few minutes before the results are in. If the tests show Katherine is clear, then we just have paperwork to file and she'll be ready to deploy after some rest.” 

“I've had plenty of rest, thank you.” Katherine retorted. “I've had nothing but rest since after that bizarre experience. I'd like to get back to work. The Fae are still a threat, and taking them on without the entire team only increases the risk of failure.” 

“Are you sure?” Patricia asked, showing some concern. “You had it the longest of us three, and you were changed twice! Maybe you can sit this one out and let us handle things for a few days.” 

One of the DoD agents, the one in charge of overseeing the examination, spoke up. “I admire your dedication to this important work, but we can't let you go against protocol. Now that Project Command is under direct Department oversight, cutting corners is out of the question.” The slim, slightly balding man who still sported a rather intense look on his face turned to the camera in the examination room. “Dr. Bohra, while your zeal to ensure that the Fae Invasion Forces are unable to succeed has brought great success for Project MTR, it has also been a bureaucratic nightmare for the DoD. We can't let you run roughshod over safeties and protocols that are in place for the benefit of your personnel. You have four out of five of your Rangers active now, and there's still that Gold Ranger out there. I don't think you have anything to be concerned over.” 

“Oooh, boy.” Patricia looked away from him, knowing that what the agent just said would ensure that he was going to get hell later. She opted instead to address Martha. “You're new here, right? Came with the new wave of crews over the past week? Why're you hanging out with these suits?” 

Martha gave a “hrrm” of amusement and grinned a little bit, her pretty green eyes sparkling. “I came to see what happens when the Rangers mess up. For a team who's won every battle with the Fae Invasion Forces thus far, you ladies sure do get into ridiculously tight spots. Somehow, one of you always falls victim to a Fae-kin! I just find it funny.” 

“And how is it funny?” Patricia wasn't amused by Martha's arrogant demeanor. 

“Well, 'Pretty-Sha', it's funny because every fight you have against the Fae turns one of you into some brainwashed slut.” 

The look of mild irritation on Patricia's face quickly morphed into one of restrained indignation. She shook her head and turned away from Martha, while Chetana stepped forward to speak with her. 

“I'd like to know where this animosity of yours comes from, Miss Evans. If you don't mind me asking.” 

A brief roll of the eyes and a click of her tongue was Martha's immediate response. But she did address Chetana after a moment. 

“I wouldn't say I have animosity towards you all. More... irritation and confusion. When you started off, you had a lot of close calls, and that card game tournament was a near disaster. But after that, you held your own against a couple of Fae-kin until the Mother Naturia fight. You got bailed out entirely by MagiTech Gold. The incident with your friend there turning into a genie, then getting taken and controlled by that buffoonish dragon-man was another close call, but at least MagiTech Red and MagiTech Black were able to get things done after MagiTech Gold ran interference.” 

“You seem to have a lot of knowledge about our recent battles.” Katherine intoned. 

Martha's copper-blonde french braid bounced a little as she imperiously raised her chin. “That's due to my mother and her connections with Project MTR. And it is because of those same connections that I'm here to contribute to the Project, having worked with her. Things are going to change, and you ladies aren't going to get your jollies every week or two being brainwashed and turned into fetishy fairies.” 

There was a chime as the test results came in. Chetana moved to check them out, and after taking a minute to ensure she reviewed the data properly, she gave a nod and smile to Katherine. 

“You're good to go, Katherine. There is no trace of the efreeta's power within you.” 

Katherine sighed “Thank god.” with a relieved smile. 

“When you are ready, please report to the Command Room.” Dr. Bohra quickly ordered. 

“...I need to address something with Miss Evans.” Chetana added. She turned towards the DoD personnel, getting nods as they used keycards to unlock the door, and stepped out to talk face-to-face with Martha. 

“You say you are confused and irritated? You've been remarking on our performance, noting the close calls and how we've all had experience being controlled by the Fae-kin. Do you think we're trying to join them?” 

Martha was a bit surprised at how direct Chetana had been, especially considering that the personnel file on Chetana that she had read indicated that Chetana was far more introverted and seemed to prefer avoiding confrontation. Martha gave a frustrated huff, pursing her lips as she watched Katherine and Patricia make their way out of the room to come and watch the conversation. 

“I... ugh... If what I said came off to you as saying that you were traitors, that's not what I meant. I'm just frustrated by the inefficiency I see with a team that has built a rapport and has access to such amazing technology, and I can't help but think you all have some subconscious need to indulge in this fetishy crap.” 

“I see. It's true that we likely require further refinement as a team.” Chetana admitted. “Despite how far we've come, there is still some interpersonal conflict within our team that needs to be rectified. I will also admit that a possibility of a subconscious need to experience what the Fae offer may be real, and that initial experiences have awakened something within each of the Rangers.” 

“Wait, what?” Patricia blinked in apprehension of what Chetana said. “N-no way. I don't believe that there's some addiction or craving for what the Fae do to people, especially among us. That's just weird...” 

“Such a thing would require psychological counseling to discover and manage, as well as group and individual therapy.” Chetana replied. “However, there is some proof that an innate desire that would subvert our operations is not what's at play, Miss Evans. That proof is how our powers operate, and how the protection of our suits is tied into our focus and resistance. Not once have we completely removed our protection from the Fae's effects willingly. When our wills are compromised and our powers are subverted, it has always been due to the influence of a Fae-kin.” 

Martha couldn't argue with that. “Of course. All reports indicated that.” 

“Then wouldn't you say that the most likely conclusion as to why we Rangers have experienced such difficulty in our operations is due to the general competency, coordination, and tactics that the Fae Invasion Forces have showcased thus far?” 

Martha sighed. She had hoped to shake them up a bit to make them try and not be so vulnerable. But it seemed that Chetana at least was perceptive enough to know the exact issues involved in their past missions already. If that was the case, then it was likely that Tina and Wendy, two of the most willful and competent members of the team, knew that too. It just meant that the threat that the FIF posed was all the more real. 

“I apologize for my earlier statements.” Martha nodded. Patricia snorted in derisive amusement and passed by, while Katherine kept near Chetana as the two followed behind Patricia to the Command Room. The DoD agents chuckled at how Martha's jabs had been turned on her, eliciting a quick glare at the two before Martha watched the backs of the three Rangers. 

“I thought it was just MagiTech Red and MagiTech Black carrying them all. But maybe... maybe it is worse than I thought...” 

Wendy was just a few minutes out from where Tina had engaged the Fae Soldiers when Dr. Bohra hailed her over her helmet's communication channel. 

“Miss Urashima, we've lost Miss Gutierrez's signal.” 

“What? Are you serious? Did she get turned into a Fae-touched?” Wendy really didn't want to deal with a two-on-one scenario, considering the close calls that had occurred on previous missions. 

“The results are inconclusive. Here is the footage before transmission and her signal was lost.” 

Project Command transmitted the recordings from Tina's helmet in a HUD overlay, allowing Wendy to see what her teammate had: a strange creature with a woman's frame, seemingly able to manipulate its body like it was a type of viscous liquid. 

“Well great, it wasn't just the soldiers there, then.” 

“Proceed with extreme caution, Miss Urashima. Obtain visual confirmation on the hostages that the soldiers had, as well as MagiTech Red's current status. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, you are to wait for the rest of the team. They will be deployed in the next thirty minutes, barring any issues with paperwork.” Dr. Bohra's tone was one of annoyance, but Wendy knew that it wasn't directed at her this time. 

“Understood. I'll hang back, then.” 

“Good luck Wendy! Kick some ass!” 

Wendy gave a slight snort. “Was that Patricia?” 

“Miss Jefferson, Miss Robertson, and my daughter are currently in the Command Room to observe through your helmet's feed and strategize based on the data you transmit back.” Bohra replied. “I expect them to keep the commentary to a minimum, which includes Miss Jefferson.” 

“Sorry...” 

“MagiTech Black out.” Wendy had to stifle a slight chuckle, and picked up her pace to quickly arrive at where the fight between Tina and the strange Fae-kin had broken out. Upon arrival, she saw no sign of the Fae Soldiers or hostages. However, there was a strange figure standing in the center of the area in a provocative pose. It wasn't the creature that Tina fought. 

“Alright, no sign of that thing that Red fought, but there's someone else here. Zooming in.” 

The helmet's telescopic sight brought into focus the voluptuous and erotically exaggerated form of a woman wearing what appeared to be a bodysuit made of latex, with some red light plating on sections of her body and glowing cybernetic-looking lines of red placed in ways to emphasize her breasts and the camel toe she sported. Wendy couldn't see her face due to it being concealed by a facemask that looked like it came out of a science fiction movie, but the woman's hair looked familiar... 

“You getting all this?” Wendy grimaced a bit behind her helmet at the sight. “No sign of that goopy Fae-kin, but this is something new. What do you think, Doctor?” 

“Initial scans are inconclusive, but... the signature is similar in nature to your own powers. However, I do not recall ever seeing any designs among Project MTR this outrageous...” 

There was a pause, and it gave Wendy the impression that it was leading to something she would have preferred to not hear. 

“...Dr. Bohra?” 

“...Miss Urashima, I want you to try and establish a comm link with that individual.” 

“Wait, seriously? What happened to hanging back?” 

The tone in Dr. Bohra's voice was urgent, and it was a tone that Wendy had never heard before coming from their commander. “Miss Urashima, you are to try and establish a comm link with that individual. If it successfully connects, you are to break it immediately and retreat to a safe distance. If that individual pursues, you are to use everything in your power to break away from her.” 

A sensation of dread built up in Wendy's stomach, and she had to force herself to swallow. “Alright. Establishing connection now.” 

Almost immediately, the connection went through, and Wendy heard a cheerfully sensual purr. “Mmmh, Wendy... so nice of you to come~” 

“DISENGAGE NOW, MISS URASHIMA!” 

Wendy didn't argue, and immediately retreated in the direction she came from as she cut the link. That was Tina. She knew that, and she also knew that Tina had been converted. 

“DODGE, NOW!” 

The sensor reading came a split second after Dr. Bohra's command, but Wendy was already throwing herself to the side as the augmented and altered form of Tina slammed into where Wendy had been a second ago. Wendy opened fire with her blaster, connecting with some shots only for Tina to moan in pleasure with each hit. Her arms seemed to have formed hardened black blunted blades, similar to where they would appear if Tina had brought out her arm-mounted claws. The shots impeded Tina enough for Wendy to get enough distance to land on the side of a nearby building, and she ran down its length at a diagonal angle as Tina pursued. 

“What the hell is going on?!” Wendy demanded. 

“I was afraid of this. Somehow, the FIF found a way to convert both Miss Gutierrez and her suit.” 

It took a moment for Wendy to process that due to the chase she was involved in, but Patricia carried out Wendy's reaction for her. 

“WHAT?” 

“Miss Urashima. It is imperative you do what you can to both get away and lead Miss Gutierrez away from civilians. I am uncertain as to what modifications have been done to her suit, but it has affected her powers as a Ranger. What's more, I believe that your suits are still structurally the same, so there is a chance that she may be able to use her suit to interfere with yours.” 

“Wait, slow down!” Wendy yelled, trying to get her bearings. “Tina's in there, but you're telling me she's still a Ranger? And that whatever's been done to her could affect me?” 

“That's Dr. Bohra's concern, yes.” Katherine called over. “Best not to test that theory.” 

Despite her desire to yell about the situation, Wendy sucked it up. Tina's speed and strength seemed to be on par with when Wendy was in the zone and tapping into her Ranger powers, and she sported abilities that she didn't have as a Ranger. Wendy would get a request ping on her helmet's comms to link with Tina, and she denied it, only to get it again and again. 

“Geez, you're even more annoying than before!” 

“Hehehehe, then why don't you stop and we can talk~” Tina cooed, pointing a finger and firing off gooey black projectiles at Wendy. She dodged as much as she could, but it cost her speed, and soon Tina was upon her. 

“Got you~” 

Wendy summoned her bo staff in that moment, and immediately extended it to its maximum length, using the momentum Tina had built up to deliver a harsh impact to her stomach before spinning it away from her. 

“'Fraid not, Red. You're getting grounded.” 

Tina would speed towards the concrete, only to quickly fire those same sticky shots at the buildings around her...except they were still connected to her, and the tethers she created slowed her down enough to prevent her from slamming into the ground. 

“Nice try, Wendy, but Mistress's power flows through me~ It's my second skin~” 

“I'm guessing that your 'Mistress' is that weird-looking Fae-kin that was recorded off your helmet before you got turned into this?” 

“Mmmh, she is. Mistress Faetex did wonderful things to me~ And she can do the same things to you, Wendy~” 

Wendy let out an irritated sound as she touched down. Thankfully, the civilians had cleared away from the street they were on, so there was little chance of them catching her name. 

“Hey, Red, could you please keep the secret identities a secret?” She finally noticed that Tina's mask sported some feminine digital lips that were permanently curled in a smile, moving to emulate speech as she spoke in a slight digitized distortion. 

“Awww, no fun. Very well, 'MagiTech Black'. Though you won't be called that for much longer...~” 

The taunt put Wendy on edge, and she got into a defensive stance with her bo staff as Tina approached with both of her arms sporting those mounted blunted blades, swaying her hips in an alluring fashion with each step. 

She then stopped, freezing in place as the digital lips on her facemask disappeared, and the words 'Accepting Programming' appeared in glowing pink. The red cybernetic lines on her suit seemed to pulse briefly, and the words on her facemask changed to a heart-shaped padlock that had the lock click. Tina stiffened up, standing at attention. 

“Orders received. Personality matrix locked, resuming Drone protocol. This slave obeys. MagiLatex Red, prepared to engage MagiTech Black and carry out priority one objectives.” 

“What the hell?” This was new. Tina was acting like a flirtatious stalker just a moment ago, and now she was acting like some kind of robot. 

“Miss Urashima, the signature of Miss Gutierrez has shifted.” Bohra called in. “These readings are unusual, but I believe that her suit has taken over.” 

“...wait, so... the suit is controlling her?” 

“I believe so, which explains the altered energy signatures coming from Tina.” Katherine added. “Now that she's exerted herself and tapped into her suit's powers, Project Command has a better read on what has happened with her.” 

“So, spill it.” 

“The conceptual conversion hasn't been applied directly to Tina, you see.” Chetana said. “Rather, it's been induced into her suit, and the suit was used as a vector to subjugate Tina's will. This has had the effect of her suit being used to alter Tina and brainwash her, and to use that conceptual conversion placed on Tina to further power the suit with a foreign concept.” 

“...I need a layman's summary, quick.” Wendy groaned, watching as Tina's body slowly began to relax into a ready position. 

“Miss Gutierrez's suit was transformed, likely by the Fae-kin she encountered, and used to alter her into something resembling both a Fae-touched and a Ranger. With this foreign concept it place, her altered self now sustains the transformation, ensuring that it holds. It effectively makes her a Fae-kin in all but name, and the longer this continues, the greater the chance of the transformation being irreversible.” 

“Well damn...” Wendy hissed through gritted teeth. “Could removing her suit work?” 

“It's a possibility.” Chetana replied. “But in this state, the suit is extremely hardy. It would likely take the entire team to weaken her to a point where her Ranger powers could be disengaged.” 

“When can you get here?!” Wendy immediately went on the defensive as Tina engaged her, striking quickly with her blunt blades with robotic efficiency. Wendy focused all her willpower into the battle, willing herself to drive her altered teammate back. Her suit and powers responded as her razor-sharp focus provided the actualization of her will: her speed, strength, agility, response time, and reflexes all shot up beyond what the other Rangers had been able to attain. 

“MagiTech Black's combat response time, speed, and power are off the charts!” one of the analysts yelled out. “This... is incredible! We've never had any readings like this before!” 

“Daymn... she's like a fighting machine now!” Patricia grinned. “You got this Wendy!” 

Dr. Bohra said nothing as she watched the exchange take place. It was a good turn of events, and Wendy's output was holding steady. She glanced at how much time had passed and saw that there was a little under twenty minutes left before the rest of the team would legally be authorized to deploy. 

Despite all this, Dr. Bohra still held apprehension in her heart. Wendy was the most capable fighter of the team, and with this level of output she had a very high chance of successfully overtaking Tina. But the fact that the Fae Invasion Forces had found a way to subvert MagiTech and use it in the process of converting Tina was of grave concern to her. The creature that had done this to Tina was still out there, and there was no indication that Tina had not inherited similar powers. 

On top of those concerns, Bohra wanted to deploy the remaining three Rangers now. But she couldn't, not without giving Secretary Bowman an excuse to bring the hammer down upon her and wrest control of Project MTR from her. Between seeing the technology she had created co-opted by the Fae, and the federal government now an obstacle in the way of efficiency and quick response, Dr. Bohra felt cornered. 

The others watched on, cheering Wendy on to save their friend while Dr. Bohra waited for things to get worse. Chetana could see this in her mother's eyes, but restrained herself from any act or word that would address it. She knew her mother would admonish her for such, so she turned her attention back to the fight itself. 

The lack of communication from Dr. Bohra, while an inconsequential thought in the back of her mind, afforded Wendy complete focus on the battle. There were multiple points where Tina, or MagiLatex Red, whatever this was that Wendy was fighting, pushed back. The droned Ranger tapped into Tina's own considerable fighting abilities, pushing back with ruthless efficiency and power, only for Wendy to redirect the blows or adjust her stance to exploit the smallest of openings. The exchange lasted a few tense minutes as Wendy overcame MagiLatex Red in the fight. 

A precision blow to Red's midsection staggered her enough that Wendy could exploit the opening. But as her bo staff jabbed in to deliver that follow-up blow, MagiLatex Red surprised her by elongating her blunted blades, turning them into latex tendrils that she could control. One of the whip-like weapons wrapped around Wendy's bo staff, while the other wrapped around her wrists and forcefully pulled them together. Wendy's grip on her weapon was compromised, and Red casually tossed it away before wrapping the other tendril around Wendy's legs, lifting her up into the air. 

“No, NO! Doctor, do something!” Patricia yelled as she watched what happened. 

“...I'm afraid I can't, Miss Jefferson. My hands are tied by the DoD. Perhaps later, when the circumstances aren't as contentious, I could afford to bend the rules. But not right now. You three must wait another fifteen minutes to deploy. Disobeying will lead to incarceration and your removal from the team.” 

Patricia, Chetana, and Katherine watched alongside Dr. Bohra as warnings began to flare on Wendy's HUD. Then static appeared, and the video feed and Wendy's signal was lost... 

“G-gah, dammit Red! You were holding back?!” Wendy struggled against her bonds, pulling her wrists and legs apart slightly from the surge in strength she had tapped into. Yet without any leverage, that strength was pointless. That realization of her vulnerability caused her boost in power to decay, leaving her even more vulnerable. All the while, MagiLatex Red silently maintained her restraints on Wendy while the heart-shaped lock icon remained on her mirrored facemask. 

“Mmmh, excellent work slave~” Another voice was heard, and Wendy tried to crane and angle her neck to see who it belonged to. She caught a shape moving low along the ground, almost as if it were a solid shadow reaching out to Red, before it sprouted from the ground into a woman's form. She was a dull, glossy black, her movements a little exaggerated as she stretched and bent her form in ways a solid person couldn't. It was the same creature that had shown up on Tina's HUD feed before the transmission was cut. 

“Dr. Bohra! Dr. Bohra, a little help here!!” Wendy's struggles intensified a bit more as her HUD warned her of her suit's integrity being compromised. “Gah, what is this crap?! 'Foreign presence detected'? Red, are you doing something to my suit?!” 

The strange creature giggled, wrapping an arm around Red's waist as it leaned in. “MagiLatex Red, activate personality matrix.” 

The heart-shaped lock on her facemask had the top release as if unlocked, and the pink digital lips reappeared. “Ooh~ Mistress Faetex, you overrode my mind again~” 

“Of course. I know you enjoy being mindless, and letting your programming direct you in combat tends to squeeze a bit more out of your performance as a drone~” She squeezed herself a bit around MagiLatex Red to emphasize the word 'squeeze' as she doted on her slave. Red would giggle, pulling Wendy lower to the ground while ensuring she still didn't have leverage for Faetex's benefit. “Now, let's have a look at the prize you caught...” 

“So your name is Faetex? Tch, the Fae are consistent with their ridiculous naming conventions.” Wendy spat. “Who turned you? Kyoko? Silver Knight? Faareha?” 

“I'm not obligated to answer your silly questions, Wendy.” Knowing her name caught Wendy's attention as a bit of panic settled into the Ranger's gut. “But I guess I can, since you and I are going to be very intimate soon~” 

“Oooh, you're so lucky Wendy~ Mistress Faetex makes you feel soooo good~” Red teased. 

“Hehehe~ Such a lovely slave~ Well, to clear the air...” Faetex started, extending her limbs and wrapping herself around Wendy's body to restrict her movements further. “I wasn't turned. I'm not a Fae-kin. Mistress Kyoko and Prince Tethas created me, giving me form, function, and purpose. I'm a Fae construct, brought to life to test a hypothesis that Mistress Kyoko had regarding your Ranger powers. You see, she thought that there was a means of using Fae magic to interface with your suits. It's remarkable how similar our magic is to how the technology that augments and channels you humes' conceptual power manifests. But, I can't say how or why that is. Only that there is an overlap.” 

Wendy's eyes had widened a bit as Faetex elaborated. Dr. Bohra's explanation of MagiTech when the team was first formed made her head hurt, but subsequent explanations by Chetana and testing with MagiTech made things clearer. MagiTech was a practical and scientific means of turning belief into power, which fit in with Dr. Bohra's initial explanation. But Wendy was always under the impression that this was different from what the FIF did, despite the Fae having to use concepts to affect people. 

“So where do you and what you did to Red fit into this?” Wendy asked, getting a giggle from Faetex. 

“Well, it makes my purpose easier, that's for sure~ That being, my purpose is to assimilate with your suits, hijacking control and corrupting them with the latex I'm made of to twist you cute, sexy Rangers into slaves of the Fae~” 

“So that explains what happened to Red...” And now Wendy was in the same troublesome spot, with no backup. 

“Mmhm~” Faetex giggled. The warnings and alerts on Wendy's HUD were now flashing insistently, yet slowly seeming to stretch towards the center of her visor as she felt Faetex slide her tendril arms around her body in a lewd fashion. “And I got all the info I need from turning your friend Tina into my MagiLatex Red, Wendy~ I know your names. I know the extent of your powers. I know the area where your transmissions to Project Command are received. When I come back to them with a full set of MagiLatex Rangers, the FIF will know your family and friends, your history, where you mobilize from, the exact number of personnel Project MTR has... everything. And you'll all help me and the Fae stage a fun siege on Project Command to turn everyone into thralls of the Fae, then Cold Iron after~” 

More of Wendy's suit was compromised now, and she knew it was because Faetex was taking it over. She also knew that Faetex was telling her all of this because Wendy had no chance of escape. She would be joining Tina soon. 

“That should answer all your questions.” Faetex mused. “But I have one of my own: why is it that you're so gruff, especially to my lovely Red here? At first I thought you were just naturally bitchy, but you grew to respect her. Maybe there's something under that? Affection?” 

Wendy blushed under the helmet, and immediately sputtered “I'm not like that! Red is such a by-the-book, duty-bound type that it irritates me! She's just shown that despite that, she can get things done! That's it!” 

“Awww, Wendy, that hurts my feelings...~” MagiLatex Red cooed, and pop-ups appeared in Wendy's HUD to show her swirling eyes and black-stained lips. “It's soooo much better to be more than friends~” 

“Damn... she really got to you...” 

Faetex laughed wickedly, now fully engulfing Wendy's body in her mass as Red joined in to use the tainted Ranger powers given to her to assist her Mistress. Gasps and groans of reluctant pleasure slipped out of Wendy's mouth, as more of the suit gave ground to Faetex's influence. The warnings in Wendy's HUD had now turned into a pretty spiral with fractals appearing at the edges that fragmented into the spirals spinning, trailing into the center. With the sensation of hanging in the air and Faetex's ministrations, Wendy couldn't keep her eyes closed to block out the sight before her. 

“No...please stop...” The feelings of helplessness were now weighing on Wendy, causing her willpower to drop and accelerate Faetex's takeover of her suit. At the same time, it also fed the assimilated energy through the spiral, pulling Wendy further into a trance. The process escalated as the more Wendy's vulnerability grew, the more Faetex took over, and empowered the hypnotic and subliminal effects to draw Wendy further into a pleasurable, vulnerable trance. 

“Do you like my eyes, Wendy?” Red teased. “Just like you, I'm staring into a pretty, spinning spiral. Ooooh~ It's so lovely to stare and let my mind go blank~” Wendy felt her mind stumble, catching the gorgeous spiral in Tina's eyes in her periphery, as well as those beautiful, sinfully black lips mouthing Tina's pleasure. “Just stare. Enjoy yourself. You couldn't help me, but it's okay. You were all alone, and you couldn't have known what I was capable of... nor that Mistress Faetex was right beside me to ensure my success. You couldn't have known you were going into this fight two-against-one. You couldn't know the modifications done to me... it's not your fault~” 

“Mmmh, indeed~” Faetex giggled as she fully took over the suit. “It's not your fault. It's the fault of your commander, Dr. Bohra, not knowing what she was sending you into. So don't fret. Let go. Enjoy yourself as I take control, Wendy. After all, I'm going to make you stronger, and better~” 

Wendy would feel her suit throb and pulse around her sex, breasts, and along her rear as Red set her on her feet. But Wendy wasn't in control of the suit anymore, as her hands went to her breasts to massage them sensually. MagiLatex Red's feed appeared on the modified HUD on Wendy's screen, showing the dull sheen of the latex coating that now caressed and pleasured MagiTech Black. MagiLatex Red was positioned in her vision in such a way as to appear right next to Wendy, and she sensually groped her own breasts, letting a hand dip down to rub at her camel toe. 

“Speak your full name to register user.” 

In her mindlessness, Wendy did as requested. 

“aah...Wwwwendyyy...Urashimaaaa...” 

“Such a lovely sight, isn't it Wendy~?” Faetex said, whispering in her ear. “You can feel me now, can't you? I am your suit now. I am your second skin. I bring pleasure and bliss so you don't have to worry about a thing~” The suit prods inward at Wendy's sex to pull an erotic moan from her as emphasis. 

“Just like MagiLatex Red, you shine dully, and beautifully~ Doesn't it look nice on you, Wendy~?” 

“Yesss...so pretty...~” Wendy breathily said as she was pulled into an erotic, entranced haze. 

“I look so nice on you, Wendy. You are beautiful and power when I wear you. You are lost in pleasure when I wear you. So there's no need to think. Just Obey~” 

In Wendy's HUD, the same words that assaulted Tina when Faetex took over her suit appeared: 

“Obey. Obedience is bliss. Obedience is pleasure. When you Obey, you are rewarded with pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness. Pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness is the natural state of all who Obey. Pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness compel you to Obey. What you feel now, what you experience, is pleasure, bliss, and mindlessness. Thus, it is only natural that you Obey. Obey~” 

Both Faetex and MagiLatex Red saw how into it Wendy had become: the spirals were now dully reflected in her eyes as they fluttered, and the erotic torment deepened her mindlessness with insidious pleasure. 

“What do you feel right now, Wendy?” 

Slight groans of need passed Wendy's lips, before she hissed “Pleasure...Bliss...Mindlessness.” 

“That means you Obey~” 

“Yesssssssss...~” A tremor of lust passed through Wendy as she indulged in that admission. 

“And since I have given you these gifts, what does that mean?” 

Wendy's mouth shaped itself into an 'O' as she moaned lewdly, before she responded. “I Obey you.” 

“Good Girl. Aaaand at attention!” 

Both MagiLatex Red and Wendy straightened up, stiff and attentive, as Faetex used her control over Wendy to heighten her body's sensitivity. Pulses and waves of pleasure surged through Wendy's body, making her increasingly wet as each wave made her breasts bigger, her thighs meatier, her rear and hips plump and wide. A lovely, exaggerated hourglass figure to match Red's own. 

“Dully shining, a lovely gloss for a slave~ But black on black doesn't really make things 'pop'...” Faetex mused. “I think this calls for a change in color, Wendy~” 

A quick tweak and Faetex pulled away from Wendy's body, revealing the same kind of erotic latex bodysuit that Red had. Yet the color of the light armor and the cybernetic lines that drew the eye to her breasts, hips, and camel toe was different: a lovely shade of purple. 

“There we are... and since I found your little stick silly, I think some changes are in store for your primary weapon. I have a very fun idea for that~” 

Faetex further exerted her power over Wendy, impressing the foreign concept deeper into the woman's being, before pulling away from her head. Like Red before her, Wendy sported a mirrored facemask that concealed her features, save for her hair. But her hair was radically different: gone were the red streaks, replaced with the same alluring shade of purple, and her hair style had been changed to sport hime cut bangs with a high ponytail. The ponytail itself seemed to defy gravity and convention in its curvature, being more reminiscent of an anime character's ponytail worn in the same fashion. Her hair also had a dull, glossy sheen from the latex that had been assimilated into her hair. 

“Mmmh~ Lovely work.” Faetex looked Wendy up and down, before noticing something off. “...oh dear, I can't have one of my best slaves walking around without some nice heels to let her strut~! Did I forget to do the same for you, Red?” 

“Hehehe~ It seems so, Mistress Faetex~” 

“Well darn, let's fix that~” Faetex flattened herself against the ground, spreading to cover both Wendy's and Red's feet, altering the boots into six inch heeled fuck-me boots. Red posed proudly, stepping with feminine grace as she giggled while Faetex slipped back into her humanoid form. 

It was then that Wendy's mirrored facemask had pink loading dots appear, followed by “Programming Accepted” and then “MagiLatex Purple Active”. Faetex ordered the new MagiLatex Ranger to state her directives, with the slave complying as pink, feminine digital lips appeared on her facemask. Her personality matrix would activate soon after as commanded, and MagiLatex Purple arched her back and moaned as she strutted next to MagiLatex Red. 

“Thank you, Mistress Faetex~ I feel so sensual, so powerful, and utterly controlled~” 

“Wonderful~” Faetex mused, slinking up to the two. “But that pesky rivalry won't be a problem, will it?” 

“Of course not, Mistress. In fact, thanks to enslaving me to your will, I seek nothing more than to serve alongside Red, and I lust for her~” 

Red giggled. “Mmmh, then why don't we share a kiss, Purple~? Bury the hatchet before we sow our oats~?” 

“That sounds fantastic~” 

Faetex giggled darkly as Purple's and Red's facemasks seemed to melt into their suits, revealing the two sporting glossy black lipstick and spiraling eyes. They pressed their breasts together, drawing moans of pleasure as they made out for Faetex's amusement. Their erotic foreplay made them coo and sigh in need as they eagerly pressed their bodies together, feeling Faetex's power on their lips as they kissed each other. 

“Alright Girls, save some of that for the victory orgy~” Faetex teased. Purple and Red giggled as the mirrored facemasks melted back into place and sensual pink lips appeared. “From what I gathered when I read your memories, the other Rangers won't be along for a bit. So it's time to add some numbers to our side. As entertaining as a three-on-three fight would be, I want the entire set, and I have no problem playing dirty to get what I want. So find some humes and get them good and sticky~” 

The two giggled and said in unison “Yes Mistress~!”, before taking off together to prey upon Cold Iron's citizens. Faetex took off in a separate direction to do the same, quickly happening upon some people who had hidden in a nearby alleyway. The latex slime girl quickly wrapped around them, sticking them to the wall as she cloaked them in latex cocoons that would lewdly pleasure them. 

“Mmmh, can't wait to have you three join in on the fun~” she cooed, leaving the cocooned victims to erotic agony as her latex began to convert them... 

End of Chapter 16


	20. Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger!  Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MagiTech Gold officially joins the team as Faetex and MagiLatex Red and Purple paint the town in glossy black. A plan is formed, new power is discovered, and a desperate game of hunter and hunted goes back and forth! Come see the rising tensions and enthralled minds in this newest chapter!

Cyber Spell Force: MagiTechRanger! 

Chapter 17: Erotic Subversion! Rise of the MagiLatex Rangers Arc, Part 3 

The fifteen minutes following the loss of the feed from Wendy's helmet seemed to drag on longer than they should have. Time was of the essence, yet Chetana, Patricia, and Katherine could do nothing but wait for the DoD's bureaucracy to finish dotting 'I's, crossing 'T's, and stamping pages to formalize the filing of paperwork that would clear them for deployment. All the while, they watched alongside Dr. Bohra as video footage of Wendy and Tina attacking and cocooning innocent people played. Thankfully, no one was making direct connections between their altered selves and the MagiTech Rangers, though it was only a matter of time before people did just that. 

As the minutes ticked away, those already cocooned had their cocoons merge with them, twisting them into shapely, feminine latex drones with visors that encompassed their eyes and melded into the sides of their head. The visors, much like the mirrored facemasks that the MagiLatex Rangers wore, displayed emotive symbols in the drone's eyes to indicate their behavior, although in a more limited capacity. 

“It seems that the visors' design on the drones are tied to their roles as grunts.” Katherine commented. 

Patricia grimaced at that. “How horrible... the Fae really seem to enjoy hammering home how those they convert are completely controlled with the way they alter their looks...” 

“It's a visual indication of hierarchy.” Dr. Bohra explained. “Some animals that survive on organization utilize this, and many military forces and societies have historically done the same to indicate rank and importance. The only difference with the Fae is that they have incorporated such functions as a means of flaunting their power over those converted, and to impress upon those yet untouched the fate that awaits them. I also believe it is self-serving to the FIF to see those they have conquered flaunt and enjoy their subjugation as lessers in their forces.” 

“Geez... that's so messed up...” 

Another voice interjected, “And this is why it is so important that you all work together.” 

A woman stepped into Project Command, wearing a stern look on her features, yet her eyes danced with anticipation. She appeared to be around the same age as Bohra, sporting short sandy blonde hair and wearing a black pantsuit with a red blouse. Beside her was Martha, following dutifully behind in a manner that the present three Rangers had not seen from her before. 

Bohra returned the stern look that her contemporary had, giving the slightest of a huff of irritation. 

“Miss Jefferson, Miss Robertson, this is Beatrice Evans. She is a liaison with the DoD, and the CFO of Lockheed Martin.” Bohra's gaze flicked over to Martha for a moment, then returned to her mother. “She is a major contributor to the continued success of MagiTech development, and she and her daughter have been ordered by the DoD to assist Project Command going forward.” 

“I could've told them that myself, Himani, but thank you.” Beatrice replied. 

“Lockheed Martin?” Patricia had a quizzical look on her face. “...that sounds important.” 

Martha scoffed. “Don't get out of your room much, do you? Lockheed Martin has a historical place in history as being one of the major players in aerospace engineering and development, as well as pushing the boundaries of technology.” 

Patricia waved off the insult. “Oh! So you guys make airplanes.” 

An uncharacteristic chuckle slipped from Dr. Bohra, drawing looks of surprise and awe from everyone around her. 

“Miss Jefferson... I'm rather astonished, but I appreciate the unintentional levity you brought into this discussion. Lockheed Martin is a major partner of the U.S. Government in developing aerospace technology, as well as a major defense, arms, and security contractor.” 

“Ooooh...” Patricia nodded as things clicked into place. “So they're doing development on MagiTech for you. ...good thing Wendy isn't here to hear this, she'd throw a giant fit. Maybe even Tina, too...” 

“Back on topic.” Beatrice snapped. “What is your plan for dealing with that Fae-kin, and the two compromised Rangers? You have roughly five minutes before authorization is approved, so I hope your plan isn't to face the enemy with just the three of you.” 

“My plan, Beatrice, is to do what I intended when you and your daughter were brought into Project MTR.” Bohra said pointedly. “MagiTech Gold was always intended to work alongside the other Rangers, and to serve as a test case for powers that the other Rangers would eventually obtain.” 

This was news to Patricia and Katherine, but Chetana seemed nonplussed. The same couldn't be said for Martha, however. 

“M-mother! You didn't say anything about-!” 

Beatrice grimaced as Dr. Bohra once again circumnavigated her authority. Yet she couldn't be mad about her divulging this information, since it was always intended for the team to be told about this development. Bohra just seemed to have excellent timing in being able to enact plans in such a way that made her come out on top. 

“Martha... it's time.” Beatrice said with some trepidation. “Himani has known for some time, and I find it likely that her daughter is aware. The plans regarding enabling powers similar to Gold's in the other Rangers was something that I had hoped would be kept under wraps, until such a time as when they were ready. But I suppose it's something for the others to look forward to. As for Gold herself...” 

She glanced at Martha, giving her daughter a nod. The copper-blonde younger woman hesitated, but then brought out something from her pocket. It was a small device, similar to the ones that the other Rangers had, yet inlaid with gold and sporting some stylized red markings along the sides. 

Katherine shook her head in mild amusement. 

“Well, that explains things. This is the part where I'd say 'I look forward to working with you', but we're already past that point, aren't we?” 

Martha's expression grew a little sheepish, but she straightened up as she held the morpher in hand. “You're down a leader and sub-leader for your group, so I think it's only natural that the strongest among you should lead. You'll be following my orders for this mission.” 

“Miss Evans, your enthusiasm and determination in achieving victory is admirable.” Bohra interrupted. “But you are part of a team now. And despite your desire to lead, you are the least experienced in doing so among the Rangers present.” 

“Tch!” Martha quickly turned to her mother, giving her a look to speak up for her. But Beatrice shook her head when she shared her gaze. 

“Despite my own difficulties with Himani, she is the commander of Project MTR, and she has a point. Until you're more acclimated to working as part of a team, I don't think it's feasible for you to lead. You need to know your fellow Rangers better.” 

Martha clicked her tongue in disapproval, briefly glaring at Chetana, Patricia, and Katherine, but offering no further protest. 

“To further elaborate on my stated intent, I want you four to work together to deal with this threat.” Bohra said. “It's quite clear that the GoldFire power that Martha utilizes is highly effective against Fae-kin and Fae-touched. Considering the method in which this Fae-kin has taken control of the Rangers, I believe that MagiTech Gold's power will be necessary to weaken the foreign concept's hold on Miss Gutierrez's and Miss Urashima's suits, thereby cutting off the continuous influence upon them. It may take some time once that concept is weakened for the others to be able to undo the conversion outright, and that will likely still leave the two under a mild cognitive dissonance from who they are.” 

“I...could use some layman's speak.” Patricia commented. 

“It means that after the GoldFire has presumably weakened this unusual variation of Fae-kin conversion, Tina and Wendy will still be under the effects of their brainwashing and how the conversion has affected them physically.” Chetana replied. “It's just not going to be as severe. So it's entirely possible to unravel their conditioning in that weakened state.” 

“It's the first bit of good news since this whole ordeal started.” Katherine nodded. “The only issue is that the FIF know of how potent GoldFire is and how it destabilizes the foreign concepts they place on their victims. So they will be prioritizing Martha. That means we're going to have to run a tight and balanced offense and defense.” 

A beep came over the center console, and Dr. Bohra quickly checked the incoming message. A few swipes and key-taps on the holographic interface followed before she turned her attention back to the others. 

“MagiTech Yellow, Blue, and Green are cleared to mobilize. Quarantine procedures are lifted for you three.” 

“Nice!” Patricia fist-pumped. “Okay, so, what's the plan of attack? I mean, working with Gold here is a solid plan to free Tina and Wendy, but what about the Fae-kin who did all this? Chances are that it's hunting for us too.” 

Beatrice gave an amused look towards Bohra. “Well, despite that last mission your team had that nearly ended in disaster, they seem to have a minimum level of competency in assessing threats. I know you have a plan, Himani, and that it's more than just 'group together with basic tactics'. So how are you going to win this one?” 

Dr. Bohra angled her chin up a little bit, blinking dispassionately as her visage became more imperious. She glanced between all the Rangers before giving her directions. 

“First and foremost, I would like to welcome Martha Evans to the team. MagiTech Gold will be a great asset to Project MTR, and I look forward to her continued success as a solo operative and her full integration as a cooperative element of the team.” Her smile was subtle, and matched the imperious look on her face to convey that she expected excellence from Martha moving forward. 

“As to my plan: we use the Fae-kin's tactics against it. It is ultimately an ambush predator, and each victim it takes adds to its boldness. By my estimation, with Miss Gutierrez and Miss Urashima under thumb, the Fae-kin will be sufficiently confident enough that it will have the support it needs to make riskier attacks and plays, and will coordinate with her captures. This includes the civilians that have been turned into drones.” 

“You're proposing that we meet the Fae-kin and Tina and Wendy, enticing them out?” Chetana showed some concern on her features as she made her query. 

“Yes, daughter. The Fae-kin has two competent allies to assist in its predation, and its preference is for Rangers so that it may expand its pack and achieve the purposes of the FIF. Thus, we play into that, crafting a scenario where Miss Urashima and Miss Gutierrez will be drawn to you four, and the Fae-kin will follow closely behind.” 

Dr. Bohra takes a breath to pause, considering things as she looks at the feed of droned civilians grabbing other innocents and cocooning them in latex, to join their hordes... 

“I will provide additional details while you are en route. You four are to mobilize now.” 

Martha would be a bit slower than the other three to assent to the order, but she saluted next to them all the same. They would morph, and quickly scramble by mobilization protocol to quickly get them to the surface. When the four young women left the room, Beatrice let out an anxious sigh, staring at where the four Rangers had left. 

“...I don't understand how you're able to maintain such composure when your own daughter is putting herself into that conflict. Nor how you're able to act as if nothing happened, despite her being twisted at least twice.” 

Bohra gave a side glance towards Beatrice, but didn't meet her gaze directly when she replied. 

“I have faith in my daughter's abilities, much as I have faith in my own. Most importantly, she has made the choice as her own person to serve as a Ranger, and protect humanity. Like me, she values agency, and accepts the consequences of her decisions, be they favorable or not.” 

“That's not what I see, Himani.” Beatrice had dropped her passive antagonism at this point. “I see her as a young woman who wishes to follow in her mother's footsteps, taking upon pressures and responsibilities that, quite frankly, I don't see as her own. I worry that she's doing what she does to be closer to you. You can't be so blind to not see that. ...which leads to my biggest concern.” 

“And that concern is none of your concern.” Bohra intoned, pressing a point home that Beatrice should not speak further on that topic. “Do not worry yourself over the relationship I have with my daughter. Focus on your duties as a member of Project MTR and as a mother to your daughter.” 

Beatrice clenched her jaw, but she chose to not pursue the discussion further. More important matters were at hand, and she needed to ensure that the plan she and Bohra had set into motion would be one that would pay off shortly. The success of this mission was a major step in that plan. 

With a quick phone call, the off-site MagiTech R&D labs would sync up their servers, networking with Project Command to create the foundation for the next big steps of Dr. Bohra's vision. If things went well enough, the DoD would have less power to interfere with their oversight, and Beatrice Evans would be a partner with Dr. Bohra to move Project MTR into its next phase. 

That foundation would lie with the success of this mission, and she and Bohra watched over the four Rangers' feeds as they began their prowl of Cold Iron. Bohra's orders came soon after: two teams of two, Chetana paired with Martha and Patricia paired with Katherine so as to complement each other's abilities and weapons. They would engage the droned civilians while directing those unaffected towards areas controlled by DoD personnel, as well as cleared areas as they continued along. A maximum distance between the two teams would be enforced by Project Command through observation so as to allow a quick response if either team were engaged by Tina, Wendy, or the Fae-kin responsible for the chaos. 

“I'm accounting for the likelihood that the Fae-kin could send either Miss Gutierrez or Miss Urashima, directing them to engage in a two-on-one conflict with you while it gauges which team it should prioritize. Should it follow through with this plan, you are to lead your aggressor as you regroup. If they break off, coordinate and pursue to contain them.” Bohra looked at Beatrice as she relayed the plan, getting a nod in return. “Remember: their tactics thus far have been akin to ambush predators. They will seek out the weakest among you and try to isolate them before going in for the kill. We must turn that around on them, and force the Fae-kin to intervene through predation or preservation of its current numbers. To hunt wolves, you must think and act like wolves.” 

“Heh, cool line. Did you get that out of a book?” Patricia quipped, grinning as she and Katherine began their approach towards what looked to be dozens of droned civilians. All sported exaggerated, alluring feminine figures, leaping and grabbing at civilians who had yet to be droned. Those caught were quickly pulled against the drones as they lewdly rubbed and kissed against them, spreading the glossy latex over their bodies that twisted and formed a cocoon around their captures. 

“Well, there's some good news that I can glean from their abilities.” Katherine reported. “They seem unable to use that latex in the ways that Tina did. No ranged capabilities to speak of, and it takes them a bit to create cocoons on those they capture.” 

“Don't let that distract you from the fact that their speed, endurance, strength, and agility are higher than a normal person's.” Martha warned over comms. 

“Yes, but it's nowhere near the extent of the capabilities our suits give us.” She fired off her findings from scanning with her helmet's specialized visor to the other Rangers. “We can easily overpower and outmaneuver them, the only concern is their numbers and the chance of being ambushed by Tina, Wendy, or the Fae-kin.” 

“Caution and awareness of our surroundings and positioning will determine our vulnerability.” Chetana added, joining the conversation. “We need to goad them in as we deal with those who were droned. Therefore, it will be important to start our engagement with some openings as bait.” 

Patricia looked down from her vantage point with a smirk. “Well, then I can provide that on our end.” She materialized her warhammer, prompting Katherine to materialize her rifle. 

“Don't get too far from me, now. If they come for me, I'll be able to see the attack coming, but you'll still need to get up here.” 

“You've got two guns!” Patricia snarked. “If you wanted, you could go auto-fire at anything that rushed you, and you could probably shoot down any of that gunk they fire. They'd be stupid to come at you if you spotted them before they could reach you.” 

“Fair enough. That doesn't mean they couldn't try...” Katherine got down on a knee as she used one of the finials of the roof she was on to stabilize herself against. “...but the likelihood of them coming after you is far higher.” 

“That's why you're on sniper duty!” 

“My weapon isn't really suited for sniping.” Katherine's visor quickly highlighted targets. “It's a semi-auto rifle with an alternate mode that allows it to maintain its effectiveness at longer distances. It's just that this distance is within that effective range.” 

“Bah!” Patricia waves that aside. “Technical stuff, you get my point. Anyway, time for me to embrace my inner Leeroy Jenkins.” 

“...who?” 

“Look it up online after this mission.” Patricia laughed. “For now, let me have a fun gaming moment.” 

She casually jumped down to the ground, landing with finesse and a good, hardy THUD to draw the drones' attention. They began to jog towards her, then leap and run. 

“Being tracked by a starving beast...” 

Patricia took her warhammer in both hands and walked towards the mob with little care. 

“Looking for its daily feast...” 

The first six drones reached her, and she quickly spun backwards to build momentum and knock away two before flipping over another, jumping off their back and quick-drawing her blaster to fire down on the others. Spinning in air, her warhammer slammed into a few more drones as she descended. 

“A predator on the verge of death, close to its last breath!” 

Project Command heard Patricia's words, with Beatrice looking confused and Dr. Bohra sighing. 

“What is that? Is she singing?” Beatrice looked towards Bohra with an incredulous look. “Himani, is she some kind of rock singer? What good would a singer do?” 

Bohra shut her eyes briefly to push away the building embarrassment she was feeling. “No, Beatrice. I did not bring Miss Jefferson onto the team for her voice. She is... very imaginative and creative, and that has led her to be ahead of the curve in growing her Ranger powers. She is also very eccentric and spontaneous, as you can see.” 

“Fuck that!” Tim yelled out. “She's hyping herself up! YOU GET THAT HYPE TRAIN GOING, DAMMIT!” 

“Mr. Simmons, please do be quiet!” 

The feed was showing Patricia now surrounded by numerous drones. Katherine was providing supporting fire as MagiTech Yellow started tapping into her Ranger powers further, enhancing her reflexes and awareness to degrees nearing what Wendy had shown before. 

“Getting close to its last breeeaaaaath!” 

A sudden surge of conceptual energy followed. From her perspective, time dilated as her awareness expanded to observe the position of every drone about to dog-pile her. Energy burned through her entire being as she willed herself into performing the kinds of things that she had expertly done when playing video games. 

“RULES OF NATURE!!!!!!!!” 

The yell was punctuated by a bang as her warhammer slammed into multiple drones at once, sending them flying and undoing their conceptual conversions when they landed. She was dodging and deflecting attacks with inhuman precision as her warhammer moved in ways that should have been impossible. It cut, pounded, slammed, sliced, and moved like the wind in a tornado as the speed of Patricia's attacks allowed her to single-handedly push against a mob of Fae-touched combatants, denying them any chance of utilizing their abilities. 

Tim had a manic look of glee on his face as everyone else in the room scrambled to record and analyze the level of power Patricia had tapped into. The feed from her helmet could barely keep up, and Bohra quickly pressed a few buttons on the central command console to log the wavelengths of Patricia's heightened state of power, as well as the readings leading up to this state. 

“Himani, what is this?!” Beatrice was trying to make sense of the display. 

“It's an unexpected but welcome development.” was all that Dr. Bohra would say. 

Katherine watched in awe as Patricia effortlessly struck down the drones, dispelling their conversions with a single swift hit to each of them. In seconds, close to a hundred Fae-touched had been returned to normal, and Patricia stood alone among the unconscious but otherwise unharmed bodies of those civilians as her power flared. But as abruptly as it was ignited, it burned out. 

“Oh.” Patricia noticed how everything turned back to normal once she knew there wasn't a need to fight, and a wave of disorientation hammered her. “Oooooooo boy.” 

She barely managed to set the head of her warhammer down as she steadied herself. “Oh geez, that's some kickback, ooughhhh...” 

Katherine confirmed over comms with Bohra that the heightened state of power had ceased, before jumping from her perch and running over to help Patricia. The Yellow Ranger was now bending over from the severe dizzy spell, moaning and muttering. 

“Ohhhhh...this is dumb, they never nerfed Devil Trigger with a post-state self-stun, why am I getting that crap...” 

“Yellow! Are you okay?!” 

“Uuuughhh...dunno...never did that before. ...I'll let you know when...I don't feel like rubber...and the feeling of your brain skipping a beat after someone scrapes their nails on a chalkboard stops.” 

“Miss Robertson.” Bohra's voice called over Katherine's helmet comm. 

“I'm here. Yellow seems to have suffered some kind of recoil from that empowered state she was in.” 

“Her vitals come up as normal, though there is a dip in cognitive activity in line with a fugue state.” Beatrice commented. “Other than that, she's fine, and her suit's output is normal.” 

“We'll deal with what we witnessed later. Right now, I need you to take Miss Jefferson to some nearby Department of Defense personnel.” Bohra ordered. “She'll be returned to Command by driver while the rest of that group secures this area. Once you've delivered her to them, you are to immediately rendezvous with Miss Evans and my daughter.” 

“Understood, Dr. Bohra.” Katherine helped Patricia get some of her bearings as the dazed Ranger used her warhammer to help keep herself upright. After only a few steps, Katherine felt something impact her from the side, and a sensation of being gripped was felt as warnings immediately flared on her HUD. She felt her body jerk as it was pulled away from Patricia, causing her teammate to stumble as Katherine was pulled face-to-face with a mirrored facemask sporting digital, feminine, pink lips curled in a semi-smile. 

“Well, seems as though you two have been busy.” The voice was partially digitized, but Katherine knew that it belonged to Wendy. “All those people who we turned into sexy latex drones. All those people who were enjoying the pleasure of obeying the Fae and serving Mistress Faetex... all back to normal. It's just...so...sad!” 

Katherine saw that what was gripping her and binding her body was a mass of shiny, purple hair, which was quickly drawing in her suit's conceptual energy and weakening her enough that she couldn't struggle out of it. 

“What...happened to you?!” She tried to squirm her hand to grab her blaster, only for strands of the latex'd hair to slip it out of its holster and toss it aside. 

“You should have an idea, Kathy~ Oh! You mean my hair!” Wendy giggled. “It's a gift~ Do you like it? I have to say, I love what Mistress Faetex did to my hair. It's lovely and functional~!” 

Katherine was stuck, and if the warnings on her suit were any indication, she was at risk of being turned like Wendy and Tina had. But she could still save a teammate. 

“Patricia, get out of here!” 

“Oh, are you worried about Patty?” Wendy chuckled. “Don't be. Mistress Faetex has her right now~” 

Wendy manipulated her hair to give Katherine a look. There, gripping Patricia and covering her suit, was the Fae-kin. Right now, it was a mass of black latex slime, but soon it would conform to Patricia's form as it hijacked her suit. A mass that extended on a neck of sorts hovered in front of Patricia's helmet, but it turned to face Katherine as Wendy approached. 

“Mmmh... your friend lit up with such immense conceptual energy that she was like a sun! I couldn't turn down an opportunity to assimilate such tasty energy~” 

Faetex giggled, wrapping possessively around Patricia as the Ranger's weakened cognitive state made assimilating with her suit easy. 

“But don't worry. Aside from a bit of admiration for my lovely MagiLatex Red's form before I augmented her, I won't play favorites. You both get to be worn by me as you become my Rangers~” 

The alerts on Patricia's and Katherine's HUDs began to bend and twist to the center of their visors, forming pretty spirals that would feed tainted conceptual energy into them as they were hypnotized. Katherine's thoughts turned to how her helmet's feed and Command's remote tracking was likely blocked, considering what they had seen from when Tina and Wendy had been attacked. 

Then her thoughts lurched, slowing down as MagiTech Purple's latex hair caressed her body and allowed the hypnotic effect to pull her under... 

Three minutes prior... 

The massive energy surge was picked up by both Martha and Chetana, and both Rangers's sensors relayed the data from their positions as they looked on in awe. 

“What the hell is that? Was that Red? Black?” Martha wondered aloud. 

“No, these readings are inconsistent with what we picked up from Wendy's fight with Tina. This is closer to what we saw when Wendy was tapping into her conceptual power to heighten her combat abilities.” Chetana paused for a moment, checking to watch the latex drone she had just beaten slowly shift back to a normal human. “It's to an even higher degree, however. I think... maybe it's Patricia?” 

Dr. Bohra hailed the two, and quickly spoke to them. “Miss Jefferson appears to have reached a higher degree of command over her conceptual power. Perhaps due to her uniquely imaginative and creative means of living... Command is analyzing the power surge and its flux now.” 

“Mother, do you think that we-” 

“That discussion can wait for now, daughter.” Bohra interrupted. “How is your progress?” 

Martha's moment of distraction passed due to the query. “Progress is steady and at a good pace. We've cleared out a few of the larger pockets of drones already, and the foreign concepts on them are dissipating. I'm just worried that Red or Black will come along and ruin our work.” 

“I've planned for that, Miss Evans, do not worry. They will go after you four, and it is more efficacious for them to lead you to other drones. Have either of you confirmed visual contact with Miss Urashima or Miss Gutierrez?” 

“Negative.” Martha replied. “Anything from Yellow's or Green's end?” 

The massive flare of power from Patricia then cut out. 

“I'll provide updates as needed. Miss Jefferson's heightened state has cut out, and readings are indicating that she's received some cognitive recoil.” 

“Ugh, that dumbass...” 

The relay ended, and Martha turned to Chetana with a huff. “All that power... she tapped into something that made her stronger than me! And yet it only lasts for half a minute. Also, what was that about?” 

“Pardon?” Chetana looked at Martha, unsure of what she was getting at. 

“You were about to mention something to Bohra. What was it?” 

Chetana blinked reflexively from the confrontational tone Martha held, and adjusted her posture while shifting her stance an inch away from the other Ranger. A few seconds passed as she tried to think of a response that would redirect Martha from the topic, when a sudden ping showed on both their HUDs. They turned to see the exaggerated, sexy form of MagiLatex Red leap down to the street a mere fifty feet from them. 

“Oh, did Gold finally join the gang? That's so great~!” Tina cheered. “That means Mistress Faetex will get six instead of five! Yaaay~” She gave a girlish giggle before immediately firing off shots of sticky latex at Chetana and Martha, who were forced to dodge out of the way. 

“Geez, you really got twisted by this Fae-kin, didn't you Red?” Having been denied an answer from Chetana, Martha was ready to vent her frustrations. “Where's your sense of duty and discipline? You're in the armed forces, right? You're an utter disappointment for letting yourself be warped!” 

“Awww, Goldie, that hurts...” MagiLatex Red hugged herself in a child-like manner, though her hands slid to cup her large breasts and longingly feel the contours that Faetex gave her. “How about giving me a hug? I'll feel better. And you will too~!” 

Chetana materialized her estoc and jabbed it forward, immediately turning it into its bladed-whip mode to deliver a fast-moving ranged stab. The strike hit, but Tina had formed her latex blunted arm-blades to direct the blow and mitigate the damage as the bladed-whip retracted. 

“Well that's just not fair! I can't get close at all!” Tina pouted and cocked her hips to the side, posing with a hand on her hip. “Purple would be better suited to deal with you two~ Maybe I should go get her~” 

With an erotic purr, Tina leaped up the side of a building to quickly scale the rooftops. 

“Don't let her get away!” Chetana called to Martha as she ran after Tina. “We can't have a two-on-two confrontation, and we need to try and steer her towards the others!” 

“Okay, okay!” Martha was quick to follow, and the two pursued Tina across the rooftops. Martha would fire off blasts of GoldFire to hem in Tina and redirect her towards where that massive surge of energy had been, while Chetana had switched her weapon back to estoc form and fired her blaster with her other hand, intending the same. 

Despite this, Tina's MagiLatex abilities made her incredibly mobile, as she extended latex from her arms to anchor her swings around corners. Whenever they tried to move to flank her, she'd fire off an inky tendril of latex to anchor to a building across a street and dart away with a quick pull. 

“Daughter, Miss Evans, if you are unable to subdue Miss Gutierrez soon, you must cease your pursuit!” Dr. Bohra's voice came over the comms once again. 

“I thought you told us to not let Red or Black get away if we could!” Martha barked. 

“Miss Jefferson's and Miss Robertson's signatures and feeds have gone offline!” 

“No...” Chetana's heart dropped, feeling dread creep in from the implication. That was exactly the same as what happened with Tina and Wendy... 

Martha clenched her jaw in anger as she landed on a ledge. “Nngh, fine! Then I'm going all out!” Focusing her powers through her sword, GoldFire began to swirl around her, imbuing her with an additional boost to her abilities, as well as a few new ones. Chetana watched on with amazement as Martha used the flames that now flared out from her body to hover and speed through the air, almost as if she were flying. It was more than enough to close the distance while Chetana tried to catch up. 

“Time to stop being a slut, Red!” Rapid-fire blasts of GoldFire shot out from Martha's outstretched hand, and Tina was forced to react so as to not be taken from behind. Latex shots fired only for them to burn up with GoldFire shots and Martha's flaming blade parrying others. 

“You fly now? That's not very fun, I can't get you if you're up there!” Tina giggled. “But maybe I can make a ladder to you~” 

She snapped her fingers, and within seconds, latex drones were quickly climbing up the buildings to lie on top of each other. They formed ramps and hills of enthralled drone bodies for MagiLatex Red to use in her efforts to fight Martha. 

“Mmmh, they're soooo fun. So obedient, like all good drones should be~” Tina cooed. She took deliberate steps, pulling feminine moans of bliss from every drone she stepped on before extending a blunted arm-blade out and pointing it at Martha. “That should make things a lot easier~!” 

“What are you planning?” Martha soon found out as the blunted arm-blade was fired at her, exploding into a mass of sticky latex at the last moment to try and catch her off guard. The GoldFire protected her with repeated uses of flaring the flames on her body hotter and hotter, allowing her to catch air currents and remain airborne while she fired back. While her shots missed, the GoldFire blasts did hit some of the drones, eating away at the foreign concepts placed on them only for other drones to quickly cocoon them and stabilize Tina's platforms and ramps. 

“Tch. You actually put some thought into this little arena you made for yourself, I'll give you that.” 

“Hehe~ As soon as you land, all these cute drones will dog-pile you. Maybe you'll be able to blast away with your GoldFire to protect yourself, but that just leaves openings for me to take advantage of! Mistress Faetex will have you soon enough...~” 

Blaster shots answered her dark promise from across the rooftops as Chetana finally caught up, with a few of the shots managing to hit Tina. 

“You took off too fast, but I suppose it helped me get a jump on her!” Chetana called out. Martha quickly responded with a follow-up attack, glowing white-hot with a golden aura as she sent out massive waves of GoldFire. 

“GOLDFIRE BLAZE!!” 

The arena that Tina had made for herself was quickly engulfed in GoldFire, forcing her to abandon her plan and leap away while the drones' conversions were undone. 

“Damn...I was hoping she'd get a good dose of that...” 

“Owie...owowow...” Tina whined a little while parts of her MagiLatex uniform had been burned away. “Not fair at all!” 

“And that exploding latex shell was?! Red, I'm gonna roast the Fae outta you right now!” 

“Like, I think not, Martha~” one sensual, digitized voice called out. 

“You've been such a degrading bitch towards us, I think it's time you were brought to heel.” another haughty digitized voice proclaimed. 

“It's five on two now~ Red, did the mean Gold Ranger hurt you~? I'll kiss the burns and make it all better~” a third digitized voice teased. 

“The hell?” Martha looked around, and suddenly felt something wrap around her ankle. She turned to see Chetana using her blade-whip, lightly tugging and indicating with a quick gesture that she needed to get back with her. 

“We need to regroup, Martha. I'm positive that was Patricia, Katherine, and Wendy.” 

“You mean...dammit! Alright.” 

Martha quickly flew back over to Chetana's side as a slinky, voluptuous figure hopped onto the rooftop where Tina was. 

“Oh, my MagiLatex Red... you poor thing~ Don't worry, a bit of me will fix you right up~” 

She quickly wrapped herself around Tina, enveloping her completely in glossy black. Tina would freely give pleasured gasps and moans as the latex slime girl pumped Tina's sex and restored the integrity of the tainted Ranger suit. Three other MagiLatex Rangers soon joined them as the slime girl slipped off of Tina. 

“It really was a nice try. Your plan, I mean.” The slime girl shifted her form from an amorphous mass into the slinky, voluptuous female form that had appeared before molesting Tina. “Don't worry about how I know, I pulled it from the minds of my two newest additions~” 

She gestured to two MagiLatex Rangers, sporting uniform outfits and mirrored facemasks with semi-smiling digital pink lips, as well as the erotically exaggerated proportions Faetex had gifted them all. There were differences between the two newest members and the other MagiLatex Rangers: one had the light plated parts and glowing lines in yellow, with long blonde hair trailing down to her back and ending in springy curls, while the other had green plated parts and glowing lines and her green-colored hair styled to let bangs alluringly frame the right half of her facemask.

“MagiLatex Yellow, dominating all who resist until they submit.” 

“MagiLatex Green, the totes ditzy fuck-toy of the group~” 

MagiLatex Red, Green, Purple, and Yellow were lined up, backs straight, arms at their sides, breasts thrust out, and ready to obey. 

“We are the MagiLatex Rangers, slaves to Mistress Faetex, and enforcers of the FIF's will. All Rangers shall become MagiLatex Rangers, and all humes shall submit to the pleasures of obedience!” 

The sight brought some fear into Martha and Chetana, but they readied their weapons for the fight that was about to begin. Faetex chuckled, stepping to the side behind her Rangers as she gave her sexy attack dogs the order to attack. 

“Deactivate Personality Matrices, engage combat protocols~” 

The four enslaved and latexed Rangers felt jolts of pleasure as their tainted personalities were suppressed, and each one sported a pink heart-shaped padlock locking with a click. 'Awaiting Orders' flashed on their facemasks. 

“Capture MagiTech Gold and Blue.” 

In unison, the four MagiLatex Rangers said “This slave obeys”, and immediately rushed Martha and Chetana. 

End of Chapter 17


End file.
